十七 ❀ july 4 event - 75% droned

[naicha]

_{[ A Taiwan - no, Xiaomei is standing where Japan, no, Kiku usually is, sweeping the front yard and setting up the cafe early in the morning. She is dressed in one of the more conservative costumes that cover more skin. ... She doesn't know how she got pulled into this whole gimmick, her husband put her up to this, okay. Oh, the things she does for love. ]}

Good morning! Nice weather this year, isn't it? <sub>[ instead of the usual "Hi!" or "Zao an!" ]

[ B Shaved ice. Shaved ice. Was that even a thing? She just wants some right now. On a whim, she takes a trip to the grocery, walking briskly along the aisles for toppings: taro, azuki beans, grass jelly, anything--

She slows down to a stop in aisle 12. ]</sub>



Ah... What was I looking for again?

<sub>[ Well, she has a can of condensed milk in one hand and some strawberries in the other. Can anyone give her ideas?

Alternatively, you may have bumped into her on her search! ]

[ C After tucking her three darling little angels in bed (and it's definitely not strange, how she is eighteen and he is twenty-five and their children are at least twelve, heavens no!) Xiaomei has a cup of coffee while propped up on her bed, reading a book she's certainly never touched. It's hard to focus on the text when what Shiki said this morning still bothers her. ]</sub>



Are they really trying to kill us? ... That's silly. <sub>[ She takes a sip of coffee. It's salty. Strange, she thinks she's never done that before...

Feel free to call her, the phone is on the nightstand. ]



(ooc: Just did this, so I'll be retconning some of her characterization slightly! Not that there's much to change... but shh okay this is a thing I am working on starting now.)</sub>

Comments

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

...Yes. Very silly, indeed. And constantly calling me things such as "Japan" and calling you "Taiwan"... on such a day, it's very unpatriotic. I wonder if it's supposed to be a form of irony... well, she always had a strange sense of humor. ...Did she not?

[naicha]

She did, she did. But you shouldn't worry about it, Japan!

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

...Ah, that's right. Isn't it, Taiwan-san...? Anyway, why are you here, sweeping the front yard? That is my job, isn't it? And you recall what the premise of this cafe is, is it not? That outfit is... not very fitting.

[naicha]

It's not? Oh... _{[ deflates. It's very unlike her to be bothered by something like that in this way. ]} I did something wrong again. I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll go get changed right away, K-, Ja-, Ki...

... Ah...

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

[ ...wait. hold on. he just realized-

.... ]

...Don't worry about, Taiwan-san. More importantly... it happened again, it seems. Ah, and you do recall that my name is Japan, do you not?

[naicha]

... That's nonsense, your name is Kiku! Kiku Honda. And I'm Xiaomei Honda. _{[ She smiles sweetly, pulls away and starts sweeping again. ]}

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

[ He stares at her for a moment. It seems it's as severe in her case. Maybe more? ...No, he should at least try to do something to snap her back to it, instead of leaving her alone like that. Quickly, before he reverts back- before his memories start getting mixed up and the wrong ones start assaulting him again- ]

That's wrong, Taiwan-san.

[naicha]

_{[ She looks over her shoulder, still oblivious. ]}

I would know what my name is, Kiku. It's Formosa! _{[ A pause. ]} Ah, that's not right... Silly me, even I'm getting it wrong, ahaha. That's been happening a lot today...

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

...So a part of you does still recall... Formosa is a name you once went by, as well—

[naicha]

_{[ mostly to herself ]} —Takasago, yes, someone called me that once, but I can't remember who... Anyway, it was really rude of them! They shouldn't make up names for people who already have one...

... No, that's not it...

1/2

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

Xiao- Taiwan-san- you remember, after all, do you not? That— [ ... ]

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

...That... eh? [ puts a hand to his forehead and suddenly looks incredibly confused by...himself. ] ...?

[naicha]

Well, a name is just a sound! I'll just worry about that later! ... You don't look well all of a sudden. Are you alright? _{[ She feels his neck with the back of her hand. ]} Do you have a fever? You're acting strangely today...

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

[ Something is telling him to push that hand away- the part of him that's very against physical contact of all forms, probably, since that's still a part of his personality, but since when did that bother him when it comes to- Xiaomei? Xiaomei. Weren't they always alright with physical contact in... public? Why is he worried about the part where it's public, all of the sudden? Anyway, that's silly, isn't it? And why is he feeling strange today? Why is there a kind of feeling following him at times? Something he can't understand at all? ]

Ah, no, it's nothing like that. ...I'm not sure what's happening... perhaps I'm still tired. I should go drink my coffee...

[naicha]

Isn't it too early for that? _{[ Japan always drinks his coffee in the afternoon! Wait, Japan? This was Kiku we were talking about here. ]}

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

Is it? ...Ah, that's right, perhaps it is.

[naicha]

You need something else to wake you up! But I'm not sure what... do you know?

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

I wonder... hm, I'll think of something. Anyway, the celebrations today will surely not keep me tired for too long, with how busy they will keep me...

[naicha]

It's Independence Day, after all! Haha, Independence... _[...] It's funny, I feel like there's still something I want to be free of, too.

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

Free, is it... [ that... rings a bell. ] Free of... capture? [ ... ] Because we are... prisoners here? [ he's just muttering every though that randomly enters his head to himself right now ]

[naicha]

_{[ ... She laughs sheepishly. ]} Silly... Isn't it part of your job to get innocent people out of jail? You'd have to be free to do that!

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

[ blinks ] It is? Ah, yes, that's right, of course it is! I think my mind quickly jumped to a book I read recently... that must be it...

[naicha]

You've been reading strange books! I'm a little worried, though...

[politerudeness.livejournal.com]

Please do not. I will be fine... this is something temporary...

[naicha]

_{[ but that doesn't sound like he's fine... so she gently brings him down to her level so she can push his fringe aside and blow air on his forehead ]}