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It's a peaceful day at Leblanc. Sojiro has a couple customers in his shop, both sipping coffee, one eating a curry. Mellow music is playing, the lighting is cozy, and the coffee is as good as ever.
He nods a greeting as Akira enters the shop on her way home from school.
Akira thinks about it. Higanbana, huh...
"I've always thought of spider lilies as more of a somber flower, but nonetheless that sounds wonderful. Perhaps that can be our next date?" She tilts her head slightly.
"I like that idea, yeah."
She squeezes Akira's hand and looks down. "All the date ideas we're planning so far are things I like, though. We should do something you like, too."
"I don't really know what I like for, like, getting out into the city, though. I never had a chance to try that myself. Most of my interactions with people my age before I moved here were online, voice chat and stuff. I read, played anime or video games or music on the computer, went for walks in the forest. Sometimes my family would take me for a meal at a restaurant or something like that. I took online classes at a prestigious school. My parents would say it was better than Shujin..."
Akira shakes her head. "I tried to convince them to let me take in person classes but they never agreed to it. They'd have had to move. I ended up getting what I wanted in the worst possible way."
She coughs. "So yeah. I — partly I'm trying things, yeah? Figuring out what I even enjoy. The world's a lot bigger now than I'm used to."
"It sucks that they wouldn't try for a chance to give you in-person classes, Akira, and that the way you got here was so terrible. You're here with us now, though, and we'll just have to keep trying different things. I'm sure between all four of us we can think of a lot of options."
"I mean, it worked out in the end, I guess..."
Akira sighs. "But yeah, we can just try stuff. Like when I asked you all what to get on my shopping trip earlier." She runs a hand through her hair. "We'll figure something out."
She pulls one hand away from clasping Akira's hand, and wraps that arm around her shoulders.
"Yeah, we will. We'll figure it out and we'll make it work. Together."
Akira exhales and settles back into her seat from the awkward lean.
... she looks over at Shiho, and the corner of her mouth quirks up, but she smooths it away with her hand.
It's just... She is so, so lucky.
If the sappy smile on Shiho's face is any indication, the feeling is mutual. "I'm really glad I know you."
Akira settles in and rests. The train car jostles gently, but it can't break their linked hands.
Alright, then. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Joker slips into front.
The first thing she does is raise Shiho's hand to her lips and kiss her knuckles.
"Charmed to formally make your acquaintance," Joker says. "Julie says hello as well."
Shiho blushes brightly when Joker kisses her hand. "Um. Hi Joker," she replies with a grin. "I'm charmed as well. It's good to meet you properly."
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