Charles Patricius

It seemed Kazuhiko had a lot more points than he realized. He'd been earning them for the entire event, apparently in silence by Kei's admission. That was fine, Kazu thought. So long as he wasn't being uncool or wasting too many good opportunities, he was content. Even better still, was him having points awarded aloud for the successful risk and being a good leaning platform. When these things paid off, they did so in a huge way. "Yosh! Good chairs aren't just for sitting!" he said in an impromptu callback to being viewed as a chair worth sitting on. As it seemed, he'd be able to function as a satisfactory support pillar as well. That wasn't the only surprise coming Kazu's way. As a heart-shaped firework exploded high in the sky, Kazu considered it the perfect moment to take another risk... but he didn't have the idea first. Before he even turned, there were lips pressed to his cheek. One, two, three careful thoughts... What was he to say and do? Perhaps by this point in their interaction, a more natural response was just fine. "Oi, party foul! That was about to be my super special kill move!" he said, playfully swatting at the air in front of Kei.

All the while, a classic game of competitive chance and mind-games was being watched by Hiruko. Miko and Kama both threw paper. They went again, both choosing scissors. At that moment, Hiruko figured he'd have Miko in his lap again today. Lo and behold, that was the outcome. Kama chose paper after assuming the natural progression of one, two, three, would be chosen at the other end. Alas, Miko went back to scissors instead. Hiruko shook his head in silent amusement while Miko slid into place. "Dastardly trick. Candy from a baby, eh Kocchi?~" he flirted. Whenever both girls were in place, he'd finally take to the open road. "Sakucchi, what were the questions?"

Kazuhiko did have a lot more points than he realized, but Kei was the type to only give information as it was needed. As she leaned against him, it seemed he took it well enough. Good chairs weren't just for sitting. That was true, she supposed, but they were also definitely for sitting. "Chair is a pretty good object of choice..." she claimed a light chuckle escaping her. But what of that kiss? She'd managed it, her lips pressing gently against the side of his face, in reaction to the build up of the day so far, it seemed perfect. As the next set of fireworks went off, she turned back towards the light show, only to have Kazuhiko claim that was about to be his super special kill move. She grinned and turned her nose up in the air, "Hmphf, you'll have to be much quicker than that to catch me with a move like that. There is no foul if you just happened to be slow~" she said in a teasing manner. And it was like this, that Kei felt she'd found the proper level of comfort in dealing with Kauzhiko... no more tears and just playful banter and her own natural tsundere tendencies. By the end, the last big firework went up, a giant golden crown which exploded in pieces multiple times over... this was definitely a golden week festival and would be in her memory forever.

At the same time, Miko was realizing she might have absorbed a bit too much of Soma today. That push for victory wasn't one she would have normally taken, but she definitely did it with only a gentle whisper in her ear like the snake of temptation. As she seated herself in Hiruko's lap the male was seemingly amused, claiming that Miko was dastardly and that it was like taking candy from a baby. "I might have absorbed too much cutthroat energy... that was too ambitious of a push... but I'm satisfied by the results. I don't think I'm supposed to be ambitious..." Miko mused about her own nature, still she wiggled her hips against him, pleased to be back in this spot. She definitely felt at ease sitting in Hiruko's lap. As for Kama's initial question, "I basically figured you'd take the logical approach and assume I'd move forward to rock. The game isn't all luck, it's also about what you know about your opponent," Miko explained. "Sou ka, I'm pleased you took something for yourself though. You usually step aside for other people even to your own detriment. You can take some thing for yourself..." Kama said earnestly. Listening to them talk to each other, it could potentially be hard to tell which one was older. "I feel like I should worry everyone reads me so easily," Miko mused. Meanwhile, Kama's questions were brought back up and she had a bit of a list. "Oh. I don't understand the context of concerts in this world. Also, why are drugs necessary? What's wrong with this Mitchel person that he needs what I assume are normally illegal substances? Also does this music thing have something to do with Micchan's job as a composer? This whole situation is new and I don't have enough context to put together an understanding of it."

At long, long last... there was a discovered plateau. After a few hours hanging out in relative exclusivity today, he was starting to feel completely comfortable being himself around the girl. Better still, it seemed she was finding comfort of late as well. With full indignance, Kei rejected his called party foul. Too slow, was he? He'd heard those words before, so, so many times. "Them's fightin' words!" he asserted. "Just know... I'll attack when you least expect it. It's gonna be the coolest, most unexpected thing ever!" he said despite having no idea how such an attack would happen, or what it would be precisely. Ah, but their friendly neighborhood insect was back... with an incredible amount of fatigue. His full sprint through crowded streets had him just locating the pair, but there was nothing he could do immediately but heave while leaning into his own knees.

Meanwhile, Hiruko's use of that Ferrari's gearshift was a bit slower and more deliberate than before. He wouldn't bother making his reason clear, instead choosing to acknowledge what a downright filthy human Iino Miko was toward her friend... with love, of course. "Too much? Nah. A little ambition can take you a long way. You wouldn't want to be stuck in a rut for the rest of your life, would you?" he asked hypothetically. He'd already been the one advising her to shoot the proverbial shot; he would continue to be that person. Once the explanation of Miko's trickery was out of the way, it was time for Kama's questions from earlier. She had... a list. Concerts, drugs, Mitchel's need of the latter, Miko's job as... "... A composer, huh?" Hiruko asked playfully. That was all he had to offer the matter; it was her question to answer. "Are there drugs in the magical world?" he asked for his own clarification.

Now it seemed that the end of their uphill battle had come. Comfort had been found between Kei and Kazuhiko, and in that comfort the development of the joking demeanors of two different people were finally meeting properly. "Hmphf, you aren't in fighting condition!" Kei claimed with her nose turned up, but still there was a grin spreading across her face. The girl couldn't help herself it was rather funny to have this kind of 'fake' disagreement with someone. Beyond that point, Kazuhiko had more to say, "Ah yes, the attack of cool and unexpected potential... as if something like that could get the drop on me!~" Kei was full of bravado in the moment and both of them were having a good time. But just like always there would be an interruption. Sukoto Rindou showed up out of breath the fireworks show already over. Kei didn't even bother to look in the man's direction and stated plainly her distaste for his present appearance, "You really showed up again? You could have just disappeared and taken your dignity with you. You lost..." she stated clearly.

Hiruko's more deliberate driving methods were interesting to see and hear. Both Kama and Miko were retaining the necessary extra information in their own ways. Miko thought herself a bit too ambitious for taking advantage of Kama's lack of knowledge just to occupy Hiruko's lap. He on the other hand, claimed that a bit of ambition was good for her, and that she wouldn't want to get caught in a rut. She found encouragement in his words and in those of Kama as well. "No, I wouldn't... not again. If you both think so... I'll keep it in mind," Miko mentioned softly. She did always internalize what she learned regardless so it was to be considered among those things she'd take it. "I am a composer yes. I would like to go on record and state that my father is a supreme court justice and my answers are always truthful but only as detailed as a situation requires," she said to Hiruko, knowing he'd understand the great amount of care she chose to answer with given his own... specialties. To Kama she had a bit more of an explanation of music, "Music is a form of entertainment. I do compose music. But if it makes more sense to you, I am a bard who is really popular that no one is ever seen before because of the way technology works... I live my regular human school girl life, and I also make and record music, under an assumed name," Miko gave her that explanation and Kama nodded. "Sou ka, the other two are just more outwardly famous for the same thing then? But you are a secret popular musician who chooses to stay out of the public. I get it," Kama mentioned she wondered what kind of music Miko made. "There are drugs... Otou-chan is an Alchemist and he always has some substance available to him, but I don't understand their exact use in this context," Kama mentioned about the nature of drugs. She assumed no one as sick or cursed... "That one is my mentor♪!~" Miko chimed.

"As if! You'll see!" Kazu argued. They were going to have fun together, he believed. Whatever she became to him, or he to her, there was much entertainment to be found in hanging out and conversing with each other these ways. As it stood, Kei argued that he couldn't earn the advantage with his move... but he felt like it was very possible. "Bet on it! If I win, I get to cash in reward points immediately!" he challenged confidently. Just then, Sukoto Rindou made himself known... if only due to how loudly he was breathing. Kei began telling him off immediately. He'd already lost the competition, and he would have been better off not showing his face again. Rindou kept trying to catch his breath. His hand continuously rose as if to emphasize a coming point, only to fall again and grasp at his chest. "I... you... haah... haah..." was all he managed to say. While Rindou was desperately attempting to breathe properly, Kazu lifted himself from the grounded blanket and extended a hand to Kei. "Exercise is pretty important, dude..." he stated plainly.

Miko's career as a composer was the truth. Upon hearing the way she mentioned it though, Hiruko began laughing for quite some time. "Haha! So it is Iino Sosuke after all? I can imagine that childhood. 'Did you brush your teeth?' 'Yes.' 'Is that the truth?' 'Yes. That is the truth, and nothing but the truth,'" he rambled at first. The joke scenario would continue from there after a bit more laughter. "'It's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?' 'Etoo'... Hahahaha!" If Hiruko didn't have Miko sitting in his lap at the time, he'd have been curling up and slapping his own thigh; the laughing fit was that intense. "Oh... oh wow. I've got a tear. Kocchi, I'd pay top dollar for your home videos," he added. Eventually, the laughing fit slowed to calmness. He could finally hear Kama's admission that drugs did exist in the magical world. Good; that would make his explanation easier. "Well I don't know how it works on that end of reality, but most drugs are addictive here. That's what's wrong with Chase, or... Mitchel. From what I know of his music, he's probably terrible with withdrawals," he explained before addressing Miko's addition about Kama's alchemist father. "So one of Sakucchi's five dads has the lore dump on magic chemistry? I feel like a bit of that could go a long way. He taking extra students?"

"See? I doubt it..." Kei said in a teasing manner. She couldn't help but get into the hype of the moment. No matter what she fully understood that a friendship with this lad, physical or otherwise was worth having. She found his happiness infectious and really wanted to continue experiencing it. He claimed a bet that would have him gaining immediate access to points should be on the line. "Eh?! Of course I'll bet, and if I do and you lose obviously my own benevolence will be all you have to work with!~" she claimed with a cheeky smirk. Ah, but they wouldn't get to go much farther with this. Sukuto showed up, and though he apparently couldn't even manage breathing after running over here, Kei would only berate him. It probably seemed bad form the outside perspective, but Sukoto had no right to still be interrupting them. He no longer had a dog in this race and he barely had one to begin with. "Definitely important, but this is the problem with these types, no work-life balance..." Kei chided without hesitation. Still she reached for Kazuhiko's hand and smiled up at him. She'd take it and find her way back to her feet in those super high clogs which helped her feel more normal than the previous ones had.

At the same time, Miko managed to trigger something of a fit from Hiruko. Her statements on her father's occupation and her own choice in how she answered questions were put together easily by someone with the right kind of knowledge. "Hai, that is..." she paused. Why? Well the continued joke made her eyes widen just a bit. Iino Sousuke had indeed interrogated her like that in her youth. The amount of laughter Hiruko had to offer it, was surprisingly high in quantity. "Never will you ever possess such videos of me. I'm glad kid me being interrogated about oral hygiene is hilarious though..." she mentioned while pouting. And in truth she was, her childhood on this planet was actually quite nice and she knew this after having more than one of them. "Oh, and we took my parents through the door. They're honeymooning over there..." she said of Iino Sousuke and his wife. Miko's human parents were taken over to the magical world, that was interesting news to Kama, she'd look into that further later. Beyond that, Miko obviously had some fond memories of her childhood. But the conversation on drugs was one which brought more questions for Kama. The lad known as Chase... was addicted to drugs enough to suffer withdrawals, that was a weird thing to hear. "Are drugs here, high mana content things? Because my understanding of alchemy and souls says the only thing that should cause an addiction is something which is high mana content that your mind, body or soul decides it needs," Kama explained. Miko gave it a bit of thought, "If you actually want him to talk to you... never call it 'magical chemistry'. He's an elf and the tirade he will deliver is a disaster. He's also here so that's a warning," Miko said. "Also you would be much more likely to get that information out of me incidentally... Elves are very particular about apprentices and they will only take one at a time. And we essentially become their magnum opus and they cram us full of all their knowledge to evolve it to the next level." she finished before pausing forward Kama's question. "Yes, they are mana manipulators. They alter moods at a high level which means they are definitely ridiculously high mana for a world that doesn't have it at the same amounts naturally. I was on Adderall for my ADHD when I was a kid and I had to be weened off it. And mixing it with the medicine they gave me for the flu affected me in a way I now recognize as magical..." Miko explained wiggling her hips in Hiruko's lap as a form of retaliation for his earlier laughter.

Kazu was out of verbal responses to Kei's teasing. He said she'd see, so he'd ensure she did. An issued challenge was accepted in such a way as to give no risks. Either he won and gained more, or he lost... and all functions remained as they were originally. He'd be a fool to do anything but launch himself headlong into that. "Deal!" he said. With Rindou's return and failure to properly speak, Kazu was offering Kei a hand up. During the lift, Rindou finally managed words of retaliation. "Gah! Lost? ME?! No... it doesn't count. Haah... there's an unfair advantage. The augmented reality glasses I gave were commented on, but I wasn't here to interfere with this plan! If I were here, it would have gone in my favor!" he rambled. Kazu had seen more than enough. He recognized the kind of person Rindou was ─ what he'd been failing to realize all this time. "Nah..." he said while finishing the lift of Kei, after which he'd tug her arm into a horizontal rolling motion. If he managed to spin her into his other arm, he'd look Rindou straight in the eye. "I'd win." With that said, it was Kazu's absolute intention to lean into Kei and steal a kiss from her lips. It was another gamble, but the desire to get his point and victory across was quite powerful.

There was no hard stop to the laughter Hiruko experienced; it only lowered to a dull roar. He had reason to believe something similar to his imagined story had actually occurred, at least in some way, in Miko's past. Whatever the case, he was slowing to a stop ─ at least on the drive. Before he got out, Hiruko was warned against using the phrase 'magical chemistry' around her mentor. That was weird to hear, but he could compare it to... just another of those career-over-job types. Perhaps there was even more to it. More details were given about how drugs functioned in a magical sense as well, much to Hiruko's surprise. If they were truly some source of mana, which one could assume a person needed more of, there had to be some sort of issue with the interaction. He had a fair amount of learning to do, and that would apparently be better done through Miko than by seeking her mentor. "We're where we need to be... but I have a lot of questions about elves, alchemy and magic later. More importantly, both of you stick close to me when we step inside. Don't speak too suddenly, and don't reveal anything about yourselves unless I give the clear. We good?"

Kazuhiko and Kei were trying to wind up their date, but it seemed the thorn ever present in their sides had reappeared. Sukoto Rindou didn't believe he'd lost. He claimed some form of cheating. Pleaded that if he'd been around to stop Kazuhiko's plan that he'd not have lost. Meanwhile, there was nothing Sukoto Rindou could have done to change the outcome of this date, besides changing himself on a spiritual level. "No! It was a fucking date, not a pitch meeting. I'm not a customer I'm a person, this isn't a business deal, you can't sabotage someone else for taking a different working approach and call them a cheater for it. But you can't fucking understand that..." Kei had reached her boiling point with this man's audacity, but before she could further berate him, Kazuhiko had apparently had enough as well. He claimed, he'd win, with sure confidence while spinning Kei into him she wasn't sure what he was going for, but she still squealed as she moved. "Eeep!~" What she did know was everything about his current presence was cool and then he did it again. Took a big gamble and leaned in and kissed her. She'd been wrong. That move was definitely a killer. Her face reddened her body tensed... and then relaxed. She held on to his clothes and by her own benevolence, kissed him back. For a first kiss, this was definitely one hell of a first kiss. And when it came to a point of a natural break... she looked stunned and surprised. His lips tasted like toasty almonds. That would have ben perfect to go with those dango she'd had earlier. "Hmphf, I guess that counts as cool. I'll allow you to do it again," she said with mock sarcasm once again managing to forget the annoyance that was Sukoto as the world disappeared for that brief moment.

Meanwhile, Miko was certain that Hiruko was tickled pink by the stories of her childhood. The fact that his imagined scenario was a real one from her past, probably just made the situation better. Still the arrived where they needed to be, and the car came to a halt. Hiruko apparently had questions about magic, elves and alchemy, but they had to wait. He had instructions for them, ones which were easily followed by both lasses. Kama nodded her head, "Hai, that's simple enough..." Miko took a deep breath and looked up at him from his lap... "Last time I followed orders like that, I thought I was just going to get some food in a tavern and it ended in a bar fight. We're good, but you're giving me flashbacks, Hiru-nii♪~" Miko claimed but still, she'd follow the instructions. She wasn't likely to reveal much about herself regardless. And with that both girls would be ready to follow him into the abyss of this place. Miko would be keeping her head down but that didn't really matter given her ability to hear everything within a certain radius of herself. And Kama would be simply watching with a lack of emotion in her face.

Rindou's point was completely missed by his own perspective. For whatever reason, that brown-haired brat also believed he would be victorious without this obvious advantage he now had. Oh, Rindou had some words for both of them... but what was this happening before his eyes? A spin, the lightest dip, a kiss ─ things they had no reason doing in public! Rindou was flabbergasted, but it seemed Kei was sinking into the moment. By the time their lips naturally broke apart, the tsundere returned in a slightly different manner. She acknowledged his move, and would... allow him to do it again? Well, Kazu wouldn't be repeating the exact same move. He'd instead shift her back to the other arm for a lift, much like how he'd held the lass earlier. The second encroach of his lips would be happening while Rindou's complaints fell upon deaf ears. "You think this is a time to taunt and ignore me at the same time? You know who I am!? Sukoto Rindou of the IPC! I am the heir of the Sukoto family name and legacy!" he snarled.

Before they entered the building in which Kirihara Kyoka could be met, Hiruko had only the usual, simple warnings for his current companions. Kama took his warning at face value with no issues. Miko, however, decided to address a flashback to the last time she'd heard such warnings: a time that ended in a bar fight. Her mention of a 'tavern' specifically made him assume that was an event in the other world. "Kocchi, this is Osaka after dark. Getting into a barfight would be getting off easy," he specified. When he was finally able to slip out of the car, he did nothing to turn it off, heading straight for the gate. That four-digit code was inserted without any hiccups, and Hiruko led the way inside. All the while, he strangely felt and answered a compulsion to scratch the left side of his neck. He figured Kyoka wouldn't be difficult to find at all. Perhaps she'd even reveal herself before a search became necessary. . .

Sukoto Rindou was trying his best to go against an immovable force. Kei, for her part in this, had no desire to do anything concerning Rindou, Kazuhiko had her complete attention for a few moments while their lips touched. And she'd even gone on to allow him to continue his audacious approach. Just the same the hold on her body had changed and after ending up back in a princess carry, she'd wrapped her arms around his neck settling into the contact without much thought. As such that second encroach of the lips would be met with Kei herself pushing their faces the rest of the way together. It was as if she was excited by the prospect. For many in the area, the young couple were indeed a bit audacious, but Osaka wasn't exactly a prudish place. Even so, a man loudly yelling about his job in a place like this didn't make sense. That second kiss came with a new set of feelings and Kei couldn't help but allow herself to immerse a bit more. Still, Sukoto hadn't stopped yelling about it. "You're Sukoto Rindou of the IPC who lost a bet of his own creation and is snarling at teens in public. It can't look good for you... making your company look bad... what kind of representative are you?" Kei asked aloud. Of course the building crowd seemed to be agreeing with her. A few nods happened as they considered that this man was trying to throw his weight around against a couple of teens for no discernable reasons.

Meanwhile, Hiruko had something pointed to say which spoke of the dangers of this place. Miko could only sigh, how she got herself into these things she didn't know... but she'd do anything for a friend. Meanwhile, they were soon approaching the main gate and Miko had taken up residence on Hiruko's left side slightly behind him but within arms reach. Kama seemed to be doing much the same to the right though her eyes were casually travelling around. Most specifically when Hiruko scratched at that mark on his neck, she watched that string which connected him to his master vibrate into the distance. Where did it go? The private quarters of this building, in which there was a woman standing in her kitchenette drinking milk straight out of the carton. She was wearing nothing but workout clothes and seemed to be just lightly covered in sweat while the sound of a bath was running in the background. At the same time.... someone was lurking. When the front gate opened, curtains had shifted... and then...stilled. Whenever he entered the house, someone would be behind him and the other girls. Peeking around corners and following them where they went for a moment or two a wide grin on her face.