二十二 ❀

[naicha]

✿ action 1
<sub>[ When the cherry blossoms disappear, Taiwan holds her breath. Japan always adored things that come and go so easily. Now he was one, too. She should've known better than to expect this the least. Watching his figure put on his coat and walk out the door, Taiwan knows it's not him. And stay out! Taiwan thinks as she slams the door shut. She feels like flicking his drone on the forehead for his remarks. "Be a good wife and make him dinner?" Ooh, the nerve! ... This makes her miss the real Japan already. Hm? What? She's not going to cry, that's silly. Even so, no matter how many times she's learned how to stand on her own, she can't help but feel abandoned. It's okay, though. Not that it hasn't happened before.

At the cafe, it's business as usual. Employees will find that there are no costumes for them to wear, though, if they don't already bring their own. Behind the counter isn't Japan typing away on his computer, but Taiwan, accounting everything by hand. She lifts her head up whenever a customer passes by. ]</sub>

Welcome!

_{[ With no makeup masking her troubled state, Taiwan quickly ducks back into her work again. She isn't even eating anything. She does try her best to put a smile on her face, though. Look! It's as if nothing happened at all. ]}

✿ action 2
_{[ Two siblings are walking around town together, but there's something odd about their dynamic today. ]}

And he was like, "Ah, is that so." And then I was like, "Yes! Yes, it is so!" Ooh, but I tried and tried and he still wouldn't let me and I was so mad that I could... _{[ p-punches her palm ]} hit him...! But I didn't 'cause I'd feel a little bad, you know. Oh! I was gonna say sorry for calling him a stupidhead today, but when I woke up and checked on him, all his stuff was gone! Just like that. It's not fair, you know, I mean- _{[ She waits for a witty, candid response, but nothing. Her voice is full of anger. ]} Hey! _{[ Then worry. ]} Hey, say something...

_{[ It goes on like this until Hong Kong's drone arrives at work. Very upset with this turn of events, Taiwan starts her walk home looking a little glum. She's not exactly looking where she's going, so she might bump into you, a drone or a pole. A detour she makes to the elementary school's playground is where others may find her hanging upside down on the monkey bars. ]}

✿ phone/action for 1245 williams road

Hello... Um, _{[ There's the sound of Taiwan wiping her face with her sleeve. ]} um! _{[ She takes in a deep breath. ]} Japan's... gone and stuff. If anyone wants to hit him, you don't have to, 'cause I already did. If anyone's worried about the cafe, I'm taking over, you know! I mean, until he comes back...

Ahaha, I feel a little dizzy! I think I'll go lie down now.

_{[ But she can't stay still! After the call, she'll be around the house, arranging all the clothes they have by color and sorting the records and books alphabetically. ]}

Comments

[naicha]

<sub>[ hmm oh man she doesn't know she's just gonna

lifts charles up

above her head, like superman... if he he doesn't protest hahaha ]</sub>

[encored]

[LMAO taiwan..... he is actually too shocked initially to do anything since he's not used to being picked up, and once he's over her head he just sort of

reaches down

to tug on her cheeks and kick his legs a bit still attempting to be dignified]

Are you trying to sacrifice me to your heathen gods-!? [that is a bad idea he'd only fetch terrible luck]

[naicha]

Nngh...! _{[ struggling to keep charles up stay still ]} If we can't even do anything to save ourselves, let's forget about everything for a second and get our act together, dammit!

_{[ oh she swore... oh now she's running ]} Haaaaaaaaaah!

[encored]

[WHY IS THIS HAPPENING]

This isn't getting your act together, this is a pointless disruption of peace! Set me down! [well it has successfully made him forget about everything for a second, at least... he is too busy trying to strike a balance between composed, flailing madly and trying not to be dropped to think about much else.]

[naicha]

_{[ he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. also, they're still running. ]}

I don't care, I don't care, I don't care! Stupid town, making girls with pure, innocent hearts cry! It's not going to happen this time, you know! We can rise above our troubles and hardships, you know! _{[ IS SHE ABOUT TO THROW HIM oh no she was faking it hehehehe ]}

[encored]

[WOW he's clinging to her arms for dear life now, they probably look like a pair of deranged aspiring figure skaters with a sudden affinity for sprinting.]

Well you certainly aren't crying now, so there's one goal down! My, look at how much running aimlessly has accomplished! [he makes a frustrated noise where are the breaks. too bad he can't just punch her or something, he doesn't want to be dropped on the pavement....] Is this necessary?

[naicha]

_{[ taiwan is laughing because look charles it's almost as if you are a real vampire!! only not, please don't kill her... ]}

Yes! Now we have to let our frustrations out! Aiyoooooo! You too, Charles! _{[ she tosses him up a short distance before catching him again ]} Keeping them inside is unhealthy you know! Make it nice and loud! Aiyoooooooo! _{[ they swoosh and make a turn around the corner! ]} Hehehe, aiyoooooooooooo!

[encored]

[being a real vampire is not fun okay he likes staying with both feet firmly planted on the ground, not flying through the air]

No! No aiyooo, you're being foolish and the exact opposite of helpful! [but this is probably doing wonders for his built-up frustrations!! at the very least he's being louder than he's been in a long, long time....

when they swoosh around the corner he kind of tries to flip himself upright which is difficult when he's being held, but it is getting to the point where he doesn't even care if they careen into the pavement anymore this is too embarrassing]

[naicha]

_{[ But Charles flying is only the best thing ever!!! Taiwan doesn't plan on stopping yet, but she is slowing down and she has stopped making a ruckus. ]}

You don't think this is fun? Didn't it make you forget stuff?

[encored]

It isn't fun in the least, and- [...well, it actually had made him forget things for a moment, and he pauses in his flailing to contemplate that.

after a brief silence, he swings his feet and reaches down to prod her shoulder.] Go to the bakery, you owe me a cake for the immeasurable headache you've put me through just now.

[naicha]

_{[ Taiwan nods with much enthusiasm. That sounds like a very, very good idea. ]}

Okay. I have lots of money today, you know. Fasten your seatbelts, everyone! Let's fly! <sub>[ Makes an airplane sound as they start running again, fwoosh! ]

[ Airplane sounds, airplane sounds, but the engine sounds like it's breaking down. Wait, no, that's not the engine... ]</sub> Oh no, captain, we're experiencing turbulence! _{[ SHAKES HIM IN THE AIR now the chances of him falling off are much greater. ]}

[encored]

[WHY TAIWAN WHY

on top of the sudden turbulence, Charles's immediate reaction is to try and cling even more tightly to Taiwan so he is probably obscuring her vision a little they will never make it out of this alive]

You're a horrid pilot. Retire! Retire immediately! [the bakery seems like it's a thousand miles away now, this is a tragedy....]

[naicha]

_{[ See, Charles, a real vampire would turn into a bat and laugh at her pain, you poser!! Taiwan stumbles along the sidewalk, nearly tripping over the cracks in the concrete. Not that she can see them, of course. ]}

Noooo! I haven't even gotten my Christmas bonus yet!

_{[ She certainly doesn't sound worried about that, though, as she grabs onto the arms blocking her view, halfheartedly trying to get them off. There's another pole nearby, isn't there... A fire hydrant, maybe... ]}

[encored]

[well he could turn into a grotesque bat demon but that might crush her a bit....]

You don't get a Christmas bonus, you get a giant pay deduction! And- [oh hey speaking of poles guess where they're heading. he lifts his arm up just enough to be able to point in the general direction of it before going right back to clinging again since he still doesn't want to fall :I] Go left-! [wait Charles that'd take you both into the street...]

[naicha]

_{[ no she likes him better when she can kick him in horrid places ;o; ]}

Okaaay. _{[ spins slooowly. you know that moment when you take a step, thinking you're on flat ground, but end up sort of falling and you make a big deal out of it until your foot touches land again? yeah. ]} Whoaaa!

Haha, this is fun. _{[ strolls across the street!! ]}

[encored]

[terrible...] This is not fun at all, at all. [o-oh his heart is beating a little faster than usual because CARS but at least there aren't too many at all. not that it would matter if he got hit, and it isn't like he cares about Taiwan or anything!!]

Walk faster, you idiot! If you go any slower we'll both be ancient and decrepit by the time you get to the bakery. [really, he just wants to get her off the road before they get stuck in the path of a speeding car or something]

[naicha]

If Charles wanted to get to the bakery faster, he should've taken a helicopter. _{[ Pats his arm! Oh no that's a horrible idea. But it doesn't look like she's going to spin Charles around above her head or anything, so he's safe hahaha. ]}

I hope I'm not missing any pennies. You know, I heard that if you pick up a penny, you get good luck and stuff. Look for pennies for me!

_{[ yes do that while they're dawdling in the middle of the road, about to be run over at any moment!!! ]}

[encored]

[he'd better be he's never going to trust Taiwan to pick him up ever again if she drops him okay.]

I don't see any, and even if I did they would all be face down. That's bad luck. Terrible luck. Luck so horrid that we'd probably be struck by a car as soon as you bent down to pick it up. [so don't...do that...... unless you want to be a road pizza of course, who is he to judge??]

[naicha]

In some places, all the cars stop for you, you know. But I guess that's why accidents happen there a lot.

_{[ How did they cross the road so suddenly? Miracles. They're walking on the sidewalk properly again, too. Was she really unable to see... Nah, she just got lucky. ]}

[encored]

[oh, how fortunate... maybe it's the luck from all the pennies she's picked up in the past. he moves his arms away from her field of view now at least, feeling less threatened by imminent car/being dropped on cement injury.]

Most likely, yes. And the cars do stop for you here, you know, you just have to cross at the crosswalk and not amble out into the middle of the street like a complete dunce.

[naicha]

But it was Charles who said go left! _{[ and she trusts him so much... ]}

[encored]

[this is what you get for trusting babby bats]

I did not, I said go right. [said with a completely straight face.....] Don't attempt to get us both killed and then put the blame on my shoulders.

[naicha]

_{[ snorts and makes him sit on her shoulders ]} There, now it's on mine. _{[ walking!! ]}

[encored]

[SITS THERE

IDIGNANTLY

it's not like he secretly enjoys being carried around or anything okay he's too old for that!!]

How old do you think I am? [huffs and puffs and rests his arms on the top of her head....]

[naicha]

Um... twelve? _{[ Which age are we talking about, Taiwan doesn't know. Whatever, it's not like it matters to her, really, he's a babby and a grandpa at the same time no matter what he does. She holds on to one leg and puts a free hand above her eyes as she looks for the bakery. ]}