Description: Yurika has two goals here, one to test out some of Raizo's advice.. Which she decides Roberto would be the perfect test subject for: She decides to make him her boyfriend. Obviously he is hesitant, but that's because he's just so cute and shy. (Spoiler: She gets him). But that can't be the only thing she wants, can it?
It's another day in Southtown.. Another chilly day at that, and it's destined to only get colder. Southtown Village is pretty quiet around this time of month though, save for the days when punk-teenagers are causing a rukus post Taiyo classes. Luckily said hours ended not long ago. This particular scenario takes place along a street known for various tailoring and sidewalk cafes, and most importantly tea shops.
Yurika Kirishima enjoys the place, despite it being an inconvenient distance, and she's quite a regular. However she's also a girl on a mission and is seeking out Roberto a bit urgently for once. She's dressed as extravegantly frilly as always, but in a dark red/white dress rather than her usual blue, and a small black mantle over her shoulders. In one hand is a bag of her newly bought goods, in the other, though, is a silver stopwatch.
As for Roberto, he's finished classes and is currently headed home to both work on his homework and take care of his brothers. At this time of the year, there's no indoor or outdoor soccer season and all he has right now are classes.
As he turns the corner to head towards Gorin Heights, he catches a glimpse of Yurika but he doesn't stop to look or acknowledge her. The way their last conversation ended, Roberto had put everything on Yurika's end. If she wanted to contact him she would need to come to him. After all, he feels no pressure to talk to her unless she changes her ways.
Yurika clicks the stopwatch and looks up, to catch sight of Roberto. The soccer player probably has no idea that Yurika has a very good track of his habits and schedule, and it's probably better that he doesn't know that either. It's creepy. But that's what she enjoys doing.
So there he is, right on schedule, just as she had predicted. However this wasn't quite as easy as she had thought it might be, her lips curl in as she takes in a calm breath. She wouldn't get anywhere simply hesitating, she'd just have to try to approach the situation as she always does and so that leaves her picking up in pace, her black maryjanes clopping along the sidewalk, until she finally catches up with him. However once she catches up behind him, she doesn't say anything, rather just tailing him 'quietly'. Only failing in the quiet department. "Ahem."
Creepy is right. But not a surprise since most of the females that have some type of interest in him have taken to stalking him. Take for instance Gabriel, Yurika, and Yurika again. Apparently the women in his life have no life. Roberto remains blissfully unaware of the fact that Yurika is stalking him yet again.
There's clopping noise and while he's pretty sure that it's her, he keeps going until she clears her throat and he stops. He slowly turns around and looks down at Seijyun student and raises an eyebrow before he speaks up. "Yes?" He was very careful to avoid the use of names since this moment determines whether or not he has to change how he refers to her.
Once Roberto turns around, Yurika places the watch into her shopping bag and nods her head in return to his rather unformal greeting. Of course she's quite perceptive, she has a very good idea why he didn't use her name, although she had been hoping he would to see where things stand. So it was true, it was all riding on her shoulder now, but this was most likely to her advantage..
Which made her feel a little better about her position. She starts to speak, but then her cheeks redden a touch, her dark eyes drifting to the side. "Oh.. Ah.. Mister Miura, it's.. Certainly fancy meeting you here, small world isn't it? How have you been?"
Because of the glimpse of her earlier and the fact that she's here now, he knows that this conversation is not coincidence. She wants something. Of course he's gotten used to the idea that every time they've talked, she's wanted something out of him. Most of the time it has been for him to get annoyed at her, or the butler thing or that fighting on behalf of her.
Of course, the way she opens the conversation though, he can't quite get a read on what it is that she wants this time. However past experience has conditioned him to be cautious around her and suspicious of her motives. A good portion of their conversations have started with a veneer of polite civility to conceal malicious intent before Roberto eventually starts flinging insults.
Roberto tests the waters a bit. "Fine thank you and you?"
It's true, Roberto certainly has every right to be suspicious, and.. Well, he'll find out soon enough that he's right that she wants something. It's a little more difficult for her to get out than usual, not that he would no that. Yurika looks back to him though, as he appears to be not only civil but in a rather tolerable mood at that. Well that's a good thing!
Yurika smiles, it's not quite as mysterious as it usually is, "I've been quite well, keeping extremely busy really. Seijyun issues are quite a handful, and I've been quite lucky in getting a mentor for some of my side studies.. Yes, they've been quite well but I've found myself with a bit of an issue I was hoping you might help me with."
"Though.. I understand you and I have not always seen eye to eye I was hoping perhaps we could take things to a new start.. I didn't forget what you said last week and.." Yurika looks a bit more sternly to Roberto. "You.. Wouldn't go back on your word, correct? About treating me as I would you?"
Yes. She does want something. That doesn't seem to change however, the most cynical would say that no conversation can go without all parties wanting something out of deal. One seeks to satisfy a certain need whether it's a need for information, companionship, or some type of service. And in this case it's a service.
As Yurika makes her request for both a desire to start fresh and for Roberto to do her a favor, Roberto rubs his chin. It seems that he's still having a bit of trouble getting past his suspicion of her as everything inside of him screams, 'There's a catch!' But when it's all said and done, he still has to respond.
He takes a deep breath before speaking as he adjusts the visor on his head, "What do you need help with?" He's not going to say yes or no without knowing what this help entails. He continues, his voice taking a matter of fact tone, "As for what I said last week, I have no reason to treat you with disrespect if you don't treat me with disrespect."
Though his face may or may not show it the fact that she used that stern look makes him more cautious. After all, it speaks to a lack of trust in the way he treats people.
Nothing less should be expected of Yurika on the other hand, she's in a rather awkward position, and she wants to be sure that Roberto -was- serious and not actually setting her up for some sort of joke that'd make her a laughing stock. Apparently she believes he can be as cruel as she, and so he doesn't quiet have her full trust either. Regardless, though,
"Well, I am.. Not entirely sure how to ask this. But it has come to my attention recently that my behavior toward you was not exactly.. Desireable. And that you are not exactly deserving to be treated as more than just a commoner." Yurika's cheeks redden a bit more, and she clears her throat. "But if I may get to the point, I am seeking a relationship. And I have decided you would be the best person to ask for a.. Date. With. Seeing as you are one of the few boys I've actually spent a reasonable amount of time with, and you appear to be single as well."os .. Er.
Nothing less should be expected of Yurika on the other hand, she's in a rather awkward position, and she wants to be sure that Roberto -was- serious and not actually setting her up for some sort of joke that'd make her a laughing stock. Apparently she believes he can be as cruel as she, and so he doesn't quiet have her full trust either. Regardless, though,
"Well, I am.. Not entirely sure how to ask this. But it has come to my attention recently that my behavior toward you was not exactly.. Desireable. And that you are not exactly deserving to be treated as more than just a commoner." Yurika's cheeks redden a bit more, and she clears her throat. "But if I may get to the point, I am seeking a relationship. And I have decided you would be the best person to ask for a.. Date. With. Seeing as you are one of the few boys I've actually spent a reasonable amount of time with, and you appear to be single as well."
Indeed, Roberto can be cruel but it's usually retaliatory cruelness. Yurika in this conversation hasn't given a reason to be cruel. Just suspicious. However if Yurika had a chance to talk with the people who he considers friends, they would speak to how fiercely loyal he is. That's the problem with studying him from a far. You can't get all of the information you could from close up.
However he finds Yurika asking a question that he never would've thought he'd ever hear from her lips. "Relationship? Date?" A look of confusion appears on his face that he just seems to have trouble hiding but the redness on her cheeks doesn't give him any reason to think that it's a lie. He does wonder where the hell the old Yurika went and also who was this person who informed her that her conduct was inappropriate so that he can thank them.
In spite of the fact that the blush seems to indicate that there's at least some truth to what she says he can't help but wonder if there's still some type of catch. They've been through enough that it's too hard to overcome the lack of trust. "I can not say that I have much experience with relationships or dating but I'll be willing to hang out with you. We can get to know each other and see where it goes." While it he doesn't imply it in his words he had chose that approach in order to see whether or not they could develop trust in each other. Sure there was Gabriel and he didn't know that he was dating her at the time, and there was Arika but with that there seemed to be a unspoken but very mutual agreement to be friends instead.
But he has learned his lesson from Gabriel quite well and so he adds, "But I want you to promise me something. If we become more than friends that it will be only after we come to a mutual agreement. I don't want repeat of someone going around calling me their boyfriend or fiance without me being involved in the decision process."
"I see.." Yurika replies, seeming pretty uncertain despite having been the one who started the 'proposition'. Yurika most certainly hasn't changed overnight; Roberto has simply never seen the frilly princess in a vulnerable state before. She really, really does not like being vulnerable, that much is a given. Roberto knows Yurika well, though, there -has- to be a catch to it all. But whatever it could be simply hasn't revealed itself.
Yurika considers his agreement, "I am perfectly fine with that, it is against the rules for me, as a student, to have a boyfriend. Arranged marriages, of course, are an entirely different matter, and what I had previously been prepared to deal with. As such, I also have very little experience with.. Well.. Relationships.. Like that."
"So really, I gain nothing out of telling everyone that we're 'hanging out', I also want to make clear that I have not been 'tamed' by you; if you find it in you to show off in some manner that suggests otherwise.." she lets her frown finish the sentance for her.
"I don't tame women. Even when we didn't," pausing before he decides on using the same words Yurika used to describe their previous standing, "see eye to eye, I never looked at you or any other woman as an animal." Yurika doesn't have to worry about that. And for the first time, Roberto's lips curl into a smile directed at Yurika that doesn't have malicious intent behind it. "I find those terms agreeable. Let's start out by trying to build a friendship first because I seriously doubt we're going any further without getting past that step first."
"Hmmn.. All.. All right then." Yurika replies, seeming a little more relaxed again, and even a little pleased at that. She knew it was the right decision to speak with Roberto, despite being possibly the least compatible person of the few she had in mind. "Thank you very much for hearing me out, Roberto.. I- Wait.."
Yurika blinks a couple of times. ".. You mean that our relationship previously was not considered friendship? I actually had a wonderful time with you, that is, before we had our fight the last time we meant." Yes, even during the cut-throat fight in Thailand, she seemed to feel that was all right. Roberto's going to have his hands full with this one.
Yurika huffs, setting her free hand on her hips and then looks away, her cheeks pink again. ".. Very well, if that's the way it has to be, I suppose it cannot be helped."
Roberto has a few responses that come to mind when she says that their relationship wasn't considered a friendship. Bringing up him dropping the straight-jacket that she gave him on her head or the fact that someone had to remind her that her conduct towards him wasn't appropriate. But he doesn't. After all if they are attempting to turn over a new leaf, then bringing up past transgressions will not help.
Roberto reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cell phone. "Let's start out with exchanging phone numbers."
Yurika has a twisted sense of humor, that isn't anything new. But even still there was a reason why she had thought that her ruthless teasing was all in good fun, though if Roberto asked he'd probably end up being quite upset. Perhaps it is better he doesn't bring things up.
Yurika looks to the cell phone curiously, and nods. "Oh yes.. That's a good idea." She says her phone number. "I'm available mostly on weekends, but late afternoons on weekdays aren't terrible for me. Speaking of which, I'd better be heading back to Seijyun, I'm meeting Ninon for more sewing lessons. I'll call you later then." Seeming more chipper, Yurika gives Roberto a curtsey, then turns to head off, assuming she isn't stopped. .. And of course she already has his number.
Log created on 21:20:00 11/19/2008 by Yurika, and last modified on 04:44:52 02/12/2009.