29/Eating Curry and Spilling Tea

Eating Curry and Spilling Tea
Date of Scene:	03 July 2023
Location:	Korma Chameleon
Synopsis:	Hoovering up food and studying after a long day, Rashmi gets a front row seat to the one-act dramedy that is Koji, Ikiko, Darien, and Chiyo. Being an inveterate people-watcher, she immediately starts speculating on their inner monologues, not realizing that in at least three cases, that monologue is WACKY WAVING FLAILING INFLATABLE TUBE MAN!
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Rashmi Terios, Ikiko Hisakata, Chiyo Sakai, Koji Silvia

---

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When you're a newbie magical girl...

It is absolutely *terrifying* how hungry one gets after a fight. That gnawing emptiness in your belly, and the feeling that nothing will ever fill it... But that a dozen samosas, a coriander lassi, and a Deep Study Session is a good start. Luckily, Rashmi's parents *own* the curry shop in Pikarigaoka, so at least food is easy to come by

But it's still early in the evening yet, the dinner rush only just passing. Thus, Rashmi has tucked herself in the back corner-booth by the stairs leading to the apartment, half of her table defended by a veritable fortress-wall of books, mostly school texts -- The one with the unicorn's face on the spine is for *after* studying -- and is applying herself to both her food and her work with equal, simultaneous vigor.

Koji Silvia has posed:
*Jingle-jangle-jingle*

The familiar sound of the door opening and closing followed by a pre-recorded 'IRASSHAIMASE!' announces another person entering the Korma. This time it is a young man dressed down for the summer streets, open shirt and undershirt, and a light hooded vest over it. Glasses adorn a feminine face and long locks shade them a bit, but the person in question seem to be on their phone for the moment.

"No Dad... It's still summertime. We can't afford to go to the beach resort again, Mom told you-"

The newcomer sighs once, "Dad, I'm in a restaurant, I need to hang up now. Dad. DAD... ugh... no it's not a churrasco. What makes you think there's a Churrasco place anywhere on this whole island?! It's curry."

"Bye Dad."

He finally turns off the phone, and Koji just sighs hard, and starts patting himself down for something, moving two steps to the side of the door.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Magical girling can definitely work up an appetite, but so can one's more mundane hobbies -- like visiting the various packs of strays dogs, especially when today's visit was more towards the outskirts of town! Buses and trains help, but there's still a fair amount of walking involved, and that works up an appetite.

So when Ikiko Hisakata catches the smell of curry and similar yummy foods, she heads towards the source of the scent, glad to get a bite to eat. A somewhat familiar person enters the restaurant ahead of her; definitely not a classmate, or someone from her club, but still recognizable from something...

Entering the restaurant and getting a closer look, Ikiko finally identifies where she's seen Koji before. "Ah, pardon me, senpai," she says to him with a small wave. "Are you the one who's been feeding the strays cats around Radiant Heart?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
So-- there was no sign of Darien anywhere on the sidewalk when Koji stepped in, or when Ikiko came in after him, but right on Ikiko's heels the door opens again anyway. A too-tall boy-- man? boy -- in a really beautifully tailored three-piece suit pushes that overworked door open with his bespoke shoulder, looking at his phone. He glances up to make sure he's not about to walk into anyone, *completely* misses Koji because Koji's not in front of him, sidesteps around Ikiko automatically, and looks around the restaurant for a second before figuring out where he's supposed to go to pick up a to-go order.

He looks-- really irritable, and like he's desperately trying to school it off his face.

The irritation clears off in a dead instant as soon as he sees the wall of textbooks, because at least someone is having fun; his shoulders de-tense and he starts toward the register.

He's obviously someone Very Important. Only Very Important people wear suits like that and have long hair in a little ponytail.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
It's not long after Darien makes his entrance, than from the table at the back is heard a pair of heavy *thump* sounds, as two short stacks of books are piled onto their neighbors, allowing the dark-skinned ginger to sloooowly push her empty plate beyond the perimeter. Her cheeks are aflame, as a server trots over to collect, and hear the girl's murmured "...Another please."

Hey it's *embarrassing* to be seen eating that much! Probably part of the reason for the books, come to think of it.

Koji and Ikiko are told by the host to sit where they like, and the server titters to herself as she carries the empty plate to the kitchen.

For Darien, there is a manned pickup window looking directly into the kitchen that the host directs him to. Behind that employee, a lanky, scruffy Osakan oversees the kitchen in the matter of all the best chefs; barked orders, last-minute saves, and frequent checks of the progress of the line.

Koji Silvia has posed:
Putting away his phone and turning to face Ikiko, he times it perfectly so that Darien would miss it was Koji unless he was looking from the back since he's dressed in his off-campus clothes right now. For a moment, the near-teal eyed young man looks over Ikiko like he's trying to place her, and then ducks his head in a faint apology.

"Sumimasen. If we met before, I didn't ask your name." Koji says, as he takes a breath, "But yes... when I go out for a morning run with some of the other sports team people, I like to stop and feed Mochi and her little clan. She's the rough-looking calico."

Motioning for a close-by table, he then adds, "I'm Koji Silvia, Year 10 at Radiant Heart. I'm in the gymnastics and computer club. Nice to meet you..?"

Instead of sitting, Koji waits out of politeness, his body turning enough that the gem on his smartwatch gives off an odd gleam passing by where Rashmi is sitting.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Oh, sor..." Ikiko starts to apologize as Darien steps around her, but his focus on the pickup window hints that he wouldn't actually catch her apology -- and in that slight pause of realization, a hint of confusion creeps in, as she didn't recall seeing anyone else on the sidewalk.

But there's more timely things to think about, as Koji introduces himself. "Ikiko Hisakata, Year 5 at Radiant Heart, animal care club," she smiles as she takes a seat. "We haven't met before, but I've seen you taking care of Mochi and the others. Nice to meet you!"

She sets her backpack down -- not a standard school-issue one, but one that looks a bit more like a cargo knapsack. "I was heading back to the dorms after visiting some of my canine friends," she explains. "Had a good day, but definitely worked up an appetite. Meeting you was a happy coincidence, Silvia-senpai; I'm not as good with cats, so I'm glad you're able to help Mochi-tachi."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Darien goes over to the window and identifies himself with a quiet murmur, takes his wallet out, pays-- and then waits; his smile's an easy, unreal thing, not forced but not true. Once he's paid, he half turns and looks over to the bookstack and the teenager over there, but he pauses. Because. Koji is over there. And Koji never sees him like this-- hngh, this isn't great. He's like a deer in headlights for a half-second, because how to reconcile worlds that shouldn't touch?

It's not like it's a secret his internship is with Obsidian, but the way he looks right now, he's a rich corporate asshole! This is terrible! Unprincely behavior.

So if Rashmi even sees what's going on over here, it's literally this rich corporate asshole taking a manga out from inside his bespoke goddamn suit jacket and flipping through it hurriedly with his back turned to Koji and Ikiko to see if the wisdom of the mangaka has anything to say about awkward social situations with roommates in takeout places. This was so much easier when he wasn't trying to actually be friends with anyone! Which he can't and shouldn't do but he can pretend.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Koji and Ikiko are soon presented with menus... And *what* menus they are, where even the Japanese comfort fare has Bengali notes all over it. So many curries, a bounty of naan, dishes that need twice the room in katakana as they do in Hindi to name... If nothing else is obvious, it is this; the Korma Chameleon takes its Japanese-Indian fusion *seriously.*

It's not long before Darien's order is carried out, and should he look furtively over his shoulder, he might catch a glimpse of the girl in the back, smiling curiously and tilting her head at the sudden dive for a manga of all things... But hurriedly she ducks her head, returning to her homework, and chile-and-cumin-and-turmeric is a *great* distraction.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
The door opens announcing the presence of another just entering with that pre-recorded greeting as Chiyo pushes her way inside. It might be a little rude of her but she did have her phone up to her ear held lightly in one hand while the other cups over her opposite ear to drown out any outside noise for the moment.

"Hai, Ojiisan. I'll make sure to get you the extra samosas. Just promise me you'll take a break to *eat* when I get back, instead of leaving them till midnight?" The words are spoken so quietly it's difficult to be overheard unless someone were specifically TRYING to hear her--She was such a soft spoken girl.

Her attire is fitting of any teen, really. A loose skirt, a blouse, and a little crocheted decorative vest with large buttons that looks as if a granny may have made it. It was in nice colors though, shades of peach and pink. Another quick murmer is given to her phone call as she wraps it up. "Right. I'll be back soon, Ojiisan."

The little flip phone with it's sparkly little dangling cell charm in the shape of a bao dumpling bun lowers to properly place her hands in front of herself as her eyes sweep around. There were so many faces she'd seen in passing in the halls, but none she could put an immediate name to. Even Darien seems to go unrecognized at first in that suit.

Except he has a manga.

Eyes lighting up she approaches the takeout window herself waiting in line, fidgeting with her phone.

"... Do you like that manga? I've got the first series of it, but not the spin off yet."

Koji Silvia has posed:
"Oh!" Koji says as the waiter comes by, and he looks down at the menu, "Let me cover this for both of us. I found this coupon sitting out on the street."

He adds a soft smile towards the girl, and then adjusts back in his seat, letting him look around the room without meaning to, almost like a cat checking his turf, then back at Ikiko. The combination of clothes and hunched position means that Darien's Evasion Skill is still proccing, so Koji goes back to his conversation, "I might actually want the club's help. Mochi and their partner Kitkat have three kittens. I've named them Macaron, Peanut, and and Taffy. It's hard to give good names when you don't really know genders. I -THINK- Mochi is the mother, anyways."

Out comes his phone and he puts it down to show pictures he's taken of a boxer of a calico, a more elegant tortiseshell, and then three kittens... a blue-grey one, a cinnamon ginger, and finally Taffy who is pure white with really vivid blue eyes.

"Do you have safe-catch cages for them, and a vet that works with the school?"

Settling back, he looks down at the menu, and does not know about the manga... since he's from the purist crowd who dislike the new art direction and plot of 'Prince Of College'.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko nods at Koji's comment about cat names. Asking the cats might work... if she was more fluent in feline, anyway. "I was going to pay for my share, buuut if you insist," she demurrs, looking over the menu before taking a look at the cat pics.

"Oh, they're very cute!" she beams, smiling at the family of cats. "It's the middleschoolers and highschoolers who usually work with the safe-catch cages, and our advisor does know a vet who comes in from time to time."

She gives him a firm nod. "I can definitely let them know what's going on, and then we can help them find a good home."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Oh Darien definitely sees the redhead clocking his manga, and he reddens slightly, but she ducks away so he can just-- pretend--

--he can't pretend, someone literally just caught him at it. He gives an alarmed look over to Koji and Ikiko's table, then looks to Chiyo again, even more of a deer in headlights. "I, ah-- my roommate loaned it to me? It's. Supposed to be helpful. I haven't read any of the other volumes yet--" he says, dark blue eyes wide.

Thankfully, his order's up, and it's B I G, so he has to put the manga back away in his jacket but it also gives him a chance to acknowledge Koji *in passing* without having to admit to anything he's doing or might be doing or might have to do or might be taking a break from or literally anything like that.

With takeaway bags in his hands, he says, "I-- should go. But if you want to talk about the manga, my roommate's right there..."

Savior? Doom? He tilts his head toward Koji and Ikiko while looking at Chiyo, and she can see him switch gears into a different social mode. Prince of Highschool indeed. "Kojikun!" he says cheerfully, "and friend? This girl saw your manga in my hands and is interested in talking about it, but I can't because I have to bring all this back to work before it gets cold."

Perfectly in control, perfectly o///o unbothered~

Rashmi Terios has posed:
It's always interesting, to see faces in her restaurant that pass by in school. And occasionally, she likes to make up stories about them as answers to questions, to keep her empathy skills sharp. Why is he so embarrassed about that manga? Maybe he's a fan! She'd flipped through 'Prince of Highschool' once, and it was extremely hard to deny how *cool* the main character was, perhaps the rich boy wants to emulate that?

The two at the table; probably friends, if they're sharing cute pictures. The waitress with the skewed grin, bringing a *double order* of samosas to her table--

"...Daaaaaaaad," Rashmi groans, staring at the plate of food. "Did he at least give you a box to go with, Nanase-chan?"

"Nnnnnope! He says--" The waitress puts on a thick, affected Osakan accent, voice raised enough to carry over half the restaurant. "'If my Sunshine's goin' through *another* growth spurt, an' she don't eat all that, she's gonna be too hungry to get to school, an' we just can't be havin' that.'"

Rashmi's face sinks into her hands, the young girl mortified.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
His friend's manga? Chiyo looks rather suddenly embarassed having gotten up the courage to speak to someone out of the blue. Manga was usually such a unifying topic for those who were fans, though, and especially with Prince of Highschool. It was such a long running series the fandom seemed to be all over the place.

Just not with this person she chose to speak to.

"I-I see I'm sorry I...." The words come in a quiet little jumble with her gaze ducking away to try and find a good way to flee from this mortifying moment. Except he's explaining more, and suddenly calling out to his friend leaving her standing there wishing she could crawl under a rock.

It only clicks as he starts to head for the door with that large order why she recognizes him. "--The icecream theif."

Ah, it hardly mattered anymore as her attention shifts reluctantly over toward Koji and his friend at the table to offer them a quick bowing nod of her head as if to apologize for having interrupted their meal together. Even if it was really Darien's fault.

At least Rashmi wasn't the only embarassed one around!

Koji Silvia has posed:
Darien's words come just after Koji replies to Ikiko by saying, "That's good to know. How about this. I'll give you my number and you give it to the club's manager. Tell them to text me and I'll send them the pics and the information. That way... it goes through all the club channels and we can get it approved by the school."

But it's then that the Darien Shield bank shot caroms off of Chiyo and lands right on him. Then the words come out from Chiyo too, and he hears someone complaining about their dad... and visible sorting goes on. You might even make out the math meme around his head for a second.

"Actually... Darien was worried the ice cream was poisoned or something else was happening, and he was trying to keep her from getting hurt. I talked to the girl and him to get the story straight. But I understand how it looked. Gomen." He stands up and bows, giving Ikiko an apologetic look, and then a sigh, "We'd need a bigger table, but if you want to sit, we can. I can get another chair, but it would be tight here."

His eyes pass over Darien, but there's that shinobi-like pokerface from him, though it finally leads to Rashmi, and hearing the jovial complaints about fathers.

His look says it all, 'I get it.'

But then back to Chiyo, "Right, apologies... I'm Koji Silvia, 10th year. The man in the borrowed suit over there is probably trying to get meals back for everyone at his internship so he can be yelled at... and this is Ikiko-kun. We just met. How are you?"

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
There's a brief moment of visible confusion on Ikiko's face when Darien drops Chiyo into the metaphorical laps of herself and Koji, and she mouths the words 'ice cream thief...?' before Koji gives the explanation.

Well, when things are confusing, stick with the simple.

She gives Chiyo a small wave and a friendly smile, then turns slightly more towards Koji to talk to him while not cutting Chiyo out of the conversation. "That sounds like a good plan, Silvia-senpai! And yeah, keeping the club officially in the loop is a good thing, especially when using club resources." While hobbies that aren't official club activities -- like, say, feeding stray dogs all over Tokyo -- aren't quiiite as restricted.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Ice cream thief... oh. Oh. Oh. That's why that girl looked familiar. Darien doesn't trip, but his steps slow for a half second-- and Koji starts addressing it almost immediately. He turns to push the door open with his back since both hands are full, and he meets that bespectacled gaze with an unreadable look of his own, then nods.

Backhanded favor owed, acknowledged.

It's *bespoke*.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
By the time Rashmi looks up from her studies again, a full third of the fresh samosas are gone, which seems to come as a surprise. But the hunger *has* stopped gnawing so sharply, more like the affectionate gumming of a playful old dog. And it seems Rich Boy knows Mastermind, interesting! ...But New Customer doesn't seem to like Rich Boy much...

((I wonder how Friend figures in,)) she scribbles in her notebook; a sentence guaranteed to confuse her when she revises her studies and finds it just *there.*

But the important part is, all of them are customers, and the patronage gives Rashmi a warm, fuzzy feeling toward the school.

Maybe by the end of the school year... *Every student will want to be a regular.* There's an ambition worth working for...

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Oh! I'm Chiyo Sakai, tenth year at Radiant Heart Academy." The introduction is returned promptly as Chiyo returns his bow politely. The loose curls of her hair cause it to fall forward so it's quickly fixed with a sweep of her hand as she stands up so that it doesn't become messy and unkempt. "It's a pleasure to meet you Silvia-san, and Ikiko-san."

A quick smile is offered to them even as her eyes dart over toward Rashmi's table as well. Another, less deep bow is given as she offers, "Thank you for the invitation, but I'm only here to pick up a takeout order to bring back to my grandfather. I'm so sorry for interrupting your meals."

As if on cue, or perhaps just with good luck, the takeout window comes up with a bag calling out, "Order for Nounamu Sweets."

Chiyo turns to pick up the bag in both hands giving a quick and quiet "Thank you," to the server as she turns once more. Another smile is offered to those in the shop. "Please, I hope you all enjoy your evenings."

With that said she hurries for the door herself feeling a sudden need to get away before she gets too embarassed. As she pushes through the door herself, she can't help but to wonder...

"Why did he lick it, then?"

Koji Silvia has posed:
He doesn't even skip a beat! Mastermind indeed, "Well, if he licked it, she wouldn't take it back. He's much larger than she is, so any toxin would take a higher dose to affect him. And he has some really good medical coverage through his internship, so he could afford a hospital bill. You saw that suit right?"

But he still bows, "It was pleasant to meet you Miss Chiyo. Maybe we'll see each other passing in class some day soon."

But with that, there is an order to be delivered, and he sits back down with Ikiko, giving her the same patient smile as he digs into his pockets and takes out an honest-to-gosh notepad and stubby pen that he passes to Ikiko. After all... she's only a little girl and he's not in uniform. He obviously doesn't want anyone to think anything else of it, "Oh... and I think I'll take mine to go if you want to order real quick. This Tandoori curry ramen looks really good. It'll be nice to eat in the dorm tonight."