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[lowestclass]

My apologies, it seems you caught me at a bad time.
Please leave a message, I'll get to it promptly.

username: arise.

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[crisantemo]

[ Cue another huff in response, and another flush of red over her cheeks as his lips press to her knuckles. One day she'll get used to him thanking her, but today is not that day - but at least she's able to more easily hide red she is by leaning against him, as his arm wraps around her waist. ]

I think after that month on the sea, I don't want to go on boats again for a loooong time. Even modern ones.

[ That voyage was more than enough. But there's a blink down at her feet as the shadows creep up - while it's cold, the sensation doesn't make her flinch - before she lets her eyes close briefly when they sink into the shadow. Maybe it says something about her, that she doesn't find the sensation wholly unpleasant...

But then they're outside and she blinks a little as her eyes readjust to the light, before peering at Jinwoo.

Uh oh. Decisions. Lapis pauses, considering their options with utmost seriousness... ]

A bath sounds good, but so does a massage... I've had this knot in my back for the last week. [ Mostly thanks to her hunching over like a gremlin for hours while working on his gift.

But she thinks over their options for a moment longer, before nodding to herself - already stepping out of the alley with a tug of his hand. ]

A massage first to unwind, then a bath. How does that sound?

[lowestclass]

You and me both. I'll be happy just looking out on the ocean for a good long while.

[ he gives a little chuckle as he hooks an arm around Lapis', settling it along his own as they walk--circling around to the front of the building.

A quick moment is taken with the front desk lady, confirming their check-in--but given he'd come here earlier to deliver their overnight bags and Lapis' gift, he gives her a little tug to lead her to their room. ]

A massage honestly does sound amazing right now, I agree with you.
I just hope that the massuist doesn't mind that I have, er. Poor circulation, haha.

[ that he's a little cold to the touch. then again, he's not sure if normal people would notice that....

But first comes walking into the room; which is....

Right.
Its normal lights are replaced with slightly pinkish lights, and all the soaps and decorations have been swapped out with heartshaped stuff... god... ]

....I figure they did this because of the valentines special. Sorry if it's a bit corny...

[ but more importantly, right in the middle of the little dining table in the room is a huge bouquet of white flowers--all different shapes and sizes--as well as a pair of beautifully wrapped boxes. One is smaller than the other. ]

...My return gift. If you'd like to open it before we get changed.

[crisantemo]

[ Lapis hums in agreement, before following along as he hooks his arm around hers and leads the way into the spa. While she's content enough to be silent as she peers around, she quickly perks up when he agrees with her idea - though there's still a faint chuckle from her, at the image of a poor staff fretting over how cold he is... ]

Maybe they won't panic too much. It is February, so it's pretty cold anyway... Or you end up with someone who fusses and gives you health tips the whole time.

[ Hopefully his luck won't be that bad. Hopefully.

And she easily follows along with the tug, more than a little curious about what he has planned. So she's pleasantly surprised when they walk into the room, eyes widening as she looks around; shaking her head quickly when he mentions about the features being... very valentines themed. ]

It's alright, I think it's cute. [ She does appreciate the pink lighting! But it's what's on the table that stuns her, the bouquet getting a soft exhale in awe as she steps closer, letting her fingers brush over some of the petals. So pretty...

And. Wait. Two boxes. Lapis hesitates, glancing between Jinwoo and the wrapped boxes on the table. Since he bought the spa day, she wasn't expecting anything else... ]

You... You didn't have to... [ But he went through all this effort, so of course she's going to open them. She'll start with the smallest box before moving onto the next - time to be very careful so she doesn't ruin the wrapping. ]

[lowestclass]

[ it's become one of his favorite cafes, a place he can sit, have some coffee, and think--it feels like an obvious place to bring Ayato, as the girls at the counter usually leave him be once he has his drink.

He listens to Ayato when he talks--running through a Hypothetical that... catches his attention. His head comes up, and he tilts it, a little to the side. ]

Well.
It was almost eleven years ago when I was ...'Recruited' by the order. That's when my memories started. Even now I find myself getting 'new' ones, but. Usually they always tie-in to old ones I've had, or they're bits of context I've missed out on.

[ he focuses down at the table a little because--no, this isn't what he expected Ayato to bring up at all. And yet... ]

You're saying you've been getting new ones that aren't close to anything you've already remembered?
Like a ... section of your life that'd been missing?

[lowestclass]

[ honestly, he'd be fine with someone who gave him advice the whole time--at the least he wouldn't have to sit there and explain himself--just agree to take her advice.

He's going to move to settle next to Lapis once she moves over to the flowers, picking up the smallest box first.
A hand moves to the back of his neck and he gives a gentle laugh. ]

Not to spoil the surprise too much, but. The bigger box is less important than the small one.
I spent more than a few days in Hyrule trying to find one--either catching it myself, or paying someone who caught one...

[ the bigger box, she'll find, is a box of chocolates, different shapes and sized truffles--store bought, because his attempt to make his own chocolate had ended in burnt and crystallized sugar hell... ]

After about three weeks, I finally caught a glimpse of it, and I had to run like hell to be the first one to find where it landed...

[ because as she opens the little box, inside is a necklace--with a fancy little bottle on the end.

It took a while to find a fallen star, but...
Inside the little bottle is a sort of powdered dust that glowed bright when shaken--floating inside the bottle instead of being just collected in at the bottom. It twinkled like diamonds in the pinkish light. ]

It's a fragment of a fallen star I found and had processed into ....stardust.

[crisantemo]

[ Oh? In that case, she'll switch to opening the big box first; save the important one for last. Even if the chocolates are store bought, she still perks up all the same. She will definitely be inhaling these later...

Now onto the next, her head canting as she listens to him. For a moment she wonders what he's talking about, until she opens the box. Her breath catches in her throat as she holds the necklace, lifting and shaking the bottle gently to see how the dust sparkles. ]

Stardust... [ She recalls the conversation they had, about loot and Stardust, how he cut himself off. So he really... really went through all that, to give her this. ]

It's... It's beautiful... [ Her words catch in her throat, eyes starting to mist up. Lapis takes a deep breath, before turning toward him - leaning over to press her lips to his in a brief kiss. When she leans back, she's still trying to blink back tears as she beams at him. The day has only just started, she can't start crying now! ]

Thank you, Jinwoo. This is... really beautiful. [ She takes another look at the necklace again, smiling still as the dust catches the light. ]

I'll treasure this... Thank you so much.

[kanka]

[He lets Jinwoo understand this on his own time, and doesn't interrupt until he gets the question in return. Ayato nods, one hand openly gesturing as he answers.]

Yes, and oddly enough, it wasn't just one memory, but three- almost one right after the other. About an entire part of my past life I'd never even knew I was missing.

Who's to say there won't be more, as time goes on?

[A pause, and he debates on how to continue.]

The reason I'm telling you this is because of what I've finally gotten back, it's made me realize- I've been playing the part of a neutral party for too long. [This is important.] The Order is moving, I'm sure you've noticed. How they've given more assertive missions recently, how they've begun to notice our numbers dwindling. Soon enough, they'll consider taking action in a far more physical sense.

[The Order does not like to lose things it has a hold of, and Kaisou is something that is slowly slipping out of its grasp.]

If I want to protect what I've gotten here in Kaisou- friendships, trust, a way to feel hope again, a desire to fight for what I believe in, a team who I actually care for- then I can't exactly stay on the sidelines anymore, now can I?

And so, I'm coming to you to be as transparent as I can, because trust is what is going to keep all of us standing through whatever is going to come. [He pauses at this, lets the words sit for a moment so Jinwoo can parse them, then continues.] What this means is that if you have any questions- about me, my past, the work the Black Order had me do- anything at all, I will answer them.

[crisantemo]

[ This is a serious situation and a serious conversation, but Lapis still can't help but jump slightly when his thumb pokes into her side. She's just a little ticklish. Just a little.

But he's right, she wouldn't be surprised if someone decided enough was enough and took her out themselves. Eizen already made that clear on the network, but she hopes he won't do anything... Else he'll be the prime suspect, and she doubt the higher-ups would be kind about them killing one of their own. ]

Maybe it's a warning... Behave and step-up, or we send someone worse. She's not the only crazy Zealot in the Order, but we can't just let her do whatever she wants.

[ She hears how he trails off, and she frowns softly as she waits for his answer. Part of her expects him to brush it aside, to tell her it was nothing, but...

He tells her and Lapis feels as though she's been drenched in ice water. She almost wished she heard that wrong. Teresa really... ]

What?

[ Her voice is flat, eerily so, as shock freezes over into anger. She doesn't even notice the shadows lashing out again, almost coating the entire forge once more; the expression on her face thunderous, furious. ]

I'll kill her myself. How dare she say that to you-!

[lowestclass]

[ his hands immediately fly to cup Lapis' head in his hands. Fingers smoothing along her cheeks, trying to raise her gaze to match it with his. His eyes have that familiar glow to them, but his expression is measured--quiet. There's something in him that's... quietly jived that Lapis got so angry on his behalf, but all the same... ]

...Calm.
I was angry too. But If I'm honest with you, she's not the only one in the order that talks like that. Before I came here, I was stationed in Florida for years--given some of the worst tasks, and mostly used as an 'in case of emergencies only' member. I did a lot of paper pushing between hospital stays, and even then, I could just tell they regretted ever recruiting me.

It was honestly amazing that they didn't just seal me and throw me back into the world.

[ he donks his forehead against Lapis', trying to curb her rage, fingers drawing through her hair. ]

The difference here--is like night and day. You--and the others--have never once treated me like a detriment.
Which is why I'm going to do everything to protect you all before accepting that pact with Zhongli to be rid of the order once and for all.

[lowestclass]

[ he watches. a fond look coming over his face as he moves to settle next to her--crossing his legs as he settles. The chocolates are definitely the fancy kinds--the ones that were so rich you might feel like melting--but hey. What's more important in the moment was the little bottle.

A warm, affectionate look moves over his face as she turns it here and there, shaking it so the bright yellow little granules light up and twinkle in the pink light of the room.

Jinwoo chuckles, low in his chest, letting his chin rest against the palm of his hand as he just watches her--how her expression changes in realisation that he'd been planning this ever since that moment, a while ago, now. ]

Catching a falling star isn't easy, turns out. But it was worth it for this moment.

You look beautiful with that look on your face, you know. I could look at you for hours.

1/2

[lowestclass]

[ having so many memories at once sounds... uncomfortable. he doesn't get many anymore himself--having remembered a lot of who he was through the years he's been with the Order--but he does know how it feels--like brainfreeze, the way it takes over every synapse of your mind, how numb you feel when it's over...

He leans in a little as the other brings up... how the Order moves. From his perspective, Ayato's always been a wild card. The 'Fixer' of the order was quiet--severe, even, when he smiled with a look on his face that said twice as much as what few words he spoke did. Not many people in the order made him nervous; but Ayato was certainly one of them.

But now to be told he cares about Kaisou's team--no. He wants to be... transparent about things? For what? To--show his sincerity, or. Is he ... looking for information... ? ]

2/2

[lowestclass]

[ he finally lets out a soft breath. ]

...It must have taken a lot of thought to approach me like this. Because of that, I'll take it as a proof of your sincerity. That you want something that the rest of us in Kaisou want--to protect those in the Order here, as well as those on the Zodiac app.

...

That is, to say. Sangsa...

...Tell me, how do you feel about the Order, as it currently stands?
About its leaderships, the way it recruits its members--the way it treats its current members?

[crisantemo]

[ While she had been enamoured with how the light caught the little specs of dust, the sound of his chuckle is more than enough to divert her attention. And it's the look on his face that takes her breath away all over again, warmth spreading from her chest and burning along her cheeks.

Oh, this is bad. Lapis doesn't get shy, but what he says and how he looks at her... It makes her shoulders hunch, smile becoming so absolutely fond even as she glances away for a moment. ]

You... Saying stuff like that is unfair. [ But she manages to bring her eyes back to him, ignoring how her heart races as she reaches over to flick his hair playfully. Her fingers then drift further down, brushing against his cheek - a certain word lingers on the tip of her tongue now, and she finds it harder to brush it aside, to tell herself it's not the right moment. ]

... I know I keep saying this, but I really am so lucky to be with you. [ But it's so hard to deny it now. How can she, after this gift and how he looks at her?

She lets out a shaky breath, willing herself to not tear up again. Instead she smiles at him once more, warm and loving and something just for him. For how much she suppresses her feelings, she can never hide how much she cares for - loves - this man. ]

I love you, Jinwoo. I really do love you so much...

1/2

[lowestclass]

[ Lapis had never been the shy one--it was because of her that he'd even dared to get this far into a relationship with her. It was always her confidence that shone bright between them, a certainty of her feelings. Perhaps it was that desire to be happy, when the rest of her life had been so difficult--but whatever it was, he didn't rightly care.

Being with her had still been the best days of his life, by far--even better than the days he spent acting in a studio, even better than the days he'd spent signing autographs for people who were fans of his work. He didn't need anything else in the world if she was by his side.

And as she huffs and calls it unfair, he can't help but to laugh just a little more. An amused, but happy sound of his own as he lowers a heart to touch over his chest. His heartbeat is so quiet these days, barely there--and yet, he could feel a warmth there as she spoke all the same.

And then she says those words--and he swears, in an instant, he feels all of it starting to boil over, a heartbeat louder in his ears than he'd felt in months. He turns to look at her--no, STARE at her in muted disbelief. ]

2/2

[lowestclass]

[ and then that disbelief melts, into a long, quiet smile as he really has to do everything in his power not to grab her and gather her up into his arms.

...

Well.
He does try his best not to do that, but. He ends up getting halfway there, anyway. shifting on the floor, moving to wrap his arms around her shoulders--to pull her into a kiss that lingers for so long it might steal her breath for a moment.

There's a... moment of giddiness on his breath when he finally pulls away, a brightness to his eyes as he tries to--

The echo of her voice in his head, but he wants to hear it again. ]

--Say it again. Please. [ he asks, a quiet, almost whisper of a voice as he raises his head in a shaky, excited smile. ]

Just to be sure.
I need to be sure--that's what you said. Please, say it again.

[crisantemo]

[ Even though she said this, even though Lapis confident and sure about her feelings, she can't help but feel... a little nervous about his reaction. At the very least, she wanted him to know this. She's pretty sure it would have been impossible to hold back, after this.

But that smile tells her everything she needs to know - her breath leaving her in an almost bashful chuckle, before she finds herself pull into his arms. The kiss is one she returns eagerly, and she can't be sure if the dizziness is from needing air when it lingers or just the surge of emotions rushing through her. She loves him, she is completely and utterly in love with him, and she was finally able to say it. To let the most important person in her life know how much he means to her.

For such a long time, she thought something... someone like her didn't deserve this. To feel anything like this. But Jinwoo has proven her wrong each and every time, and she couldn't be more grateful. There will never be a day that goes by, where she doesn't think about how he made her life better by simply being by her side.

She takes a moment to catch her breath when he pulls back, eyes focused on his. And at his request, she can't help but chuckle again - hand reaching to rest on his cheek, as she gives him that adoring smile once more. ]

I love you, Jinwoo. I'll say it as many times as you want. [ Over and over and over again, because she knows she'll never get tired of saying it. Her words are a little breathless still, but still warm and genuine as she keeps expressing her feelings for him. ]

I love you so much... I love you more than anything else.

[lowestclass]

[ of course her loudest, most negative thoughts were wrong. When he'd come to Kaisou, met his new co-workers, he'd settled in for the idea that he'd only ever be a benchman again. Quietly reserved to do only the bare minimum field work--and yet, his first job on arrival had been with her.
And then ever since, he'd never had to... go Solo. It was so different for him, how could he not be smitten with the person who stuck by his side, regardless of how many times he made a fool of himself, how many times he could have messed up even the easiest of jobs?

She'd made herself so... important in his every day life that hearing those simple words--they're elation in spoken form. He holds her tightly to him, shifting to take one of her hands, to hold it over his chest--where his heartbeat is actually comfortably notable under her fingertips. He raises his head to look at her with bright blue eyes. a small squeeze of her fingers and another breathless little laugh. ]

I.
I almost can't believe I'm hearing it. But I believe you.
I--
I love you, too. I love you so much--I've been so. Nervous about telling you all this time. Even after a conversation with Husk, the one thing that pulled me through was being determined to prove that my heart was set on you.
And only you.

I --wondered if it was too early, but.
If you feel that way, too.
Then.

I don't have any worries anymore.
I can say it as many times as I hear it.
I love you, too. My beautiful Lapis de Fiore.

[crisantemo]

[ Lapis lets herself lean against him as he holds her tight, blinking when she holds her hand over his chest - and when she can actually feel his heartbeat, actually feel it, her breath catches in surprise before her eyes meet his. The sound of his laugh makes her smile all over again, and she finds herself almost... nervous all over again, for his response.

It's a giddy sort of nerves, one that has her heart racing as her other hand clenches the necklace to her own chest. And actually hearing him say it back, hearing him say all of that...

She can't stop her own breathless little laugh, the blurring of tears in her eyes an almost familiar feeling now. I love you, too he says and it takes so much not to just sob from the sheer joy that those words fill her with. For so long she had convinced herself that love wasn't something she could have, that she never deserved, and now here she is - in the arms of the man she adores the most, as he tells her he feels the same.

It's almost overwhelming, enough so that she feels almost shaky - but that does stop her from beaming brightly at him, from leaning close enough to gently press her forehead against his. Such simple words have made her so overjoyed that she hardly knows what to do with herself. ]

I love you too, my precious Sung Jinwoo. [ And since she hasn't said it in Korean yet; ] I love you so much.

[ The words trail off into another breathless giggle, heart still pounding and cheeks still burning from the sheer rush of it all. ]

I'm never going to get tired of saying that. So if you ever need to hear it again, I'll be more than happy to tell you.

[kanka]

A lot of thought, and a certain Archon willing to lend an ear. [Zhongli, of course, but he wouldn't blame Jinwoo if he thought it might be Ei. Either way, taking the time to talk things out and having someone to still his thoughts was a conversation he desperately needed to have, and it's centered him as a result.

He notes how Jinwoo refers to him and blinks- Ayato may not know Korean, but he can note the difference. Ayato-nim to Sangsa is an incredible change, and he isn't about to take that lightly. There is a nod here, one that is respectful and also thankful that Jinwoo is willing to listen. As for the questions- it takes him a long second to find how to explain himself, exhaling and closing his eyes for a brief second. Then, he opens them again.]

If I were to name my feelings in a few words about everything you asked, it would be this: Absolutely vile.

[That... is a very strong set of words for a man who tends to be very neutral in his language. Ayato pauses, gesturing again with his hands, eyes firm and voice steady.]

The actions the Order takes are ones I've always disagreed with. Be it through recruitment, how they treat others, the leadership itself- I've despised it since the day I was forced to become a member. And while I am aware and agree that the Order is a form of necessity for those who need it, I also know what it is like to run a similar organization but do so with consideration and utmost care.

[He looks at Jinwoo at that, head tilting as he lets that information sit in the silence between them. He really hasn't told many people how much he hates being forced into this. To act as their mediator because otherwise he'd cause problems, and they had better uses for people like him and knew exactly what to use to keep them in line.]

Does my answer surprise you? I'm aware of how people perceive me due to the names I've been given. [Names he never wanted. Names he hated with every fiber of his being.] But the fact of the matter is that despite my reputation, I have never once truly been glad or thankful to work for the Black Order. None of it was ever my choice to begin with.

[Just like so many others.]

[lowestclass]

[ he hasn't loved anything in a long time. If there's something about being with lapis has taught him it's that he forgot what it felt like to truly care about someone. He'd been living life in what felt like third-person, going through the motions because what else was there?

No family, very few friends--she was what he was missing. The start of something that was his, again, someone to protect and care for. It's easy to love her, he had long ago decided. And being loved back was just... what an amazing feeling.

He could hear her say it for hours and not get tired. But at the same time. He has to laugh. This--was this really someone the Order wanted to turn into a weapon? Someone with so much empathy and kindness? They were fools. ]

I might have to ask you to say it a few more times just so I'll remember it in the moments we're not together. [ inoften as that is, lately. ] Especially in Korean. Your accent has gotten so much better. [ he gives a bit of a cheeky smile, but. It's lost, as the pinkish color rises in his cheeks for the first time in a... long time. Probably the first time they'd gotten intimate. ]

I'm going to become a real pest, you know.

[crisantemo]

[ Part of her wonders if she's dreaming - she spent so long telling herself that she would be alone, that her life would only ever be what the Order commanded of her. And then in comes in this shy, quiet and incredibly kind man to show her that her life is worth so much more than that.

And she knows once they're free, Lapis knows it's a freedom she wants to spend with him. Even if it's... honestly a little frightening, after years of telling herself otherwise, but she knows she can face it with him by her side.

For now, though, she'll have to keep making sure he knows just how much she loves him. ]

I'll say it at least five times everyday. [ There's a pause, before she chuckles sweetly once more. ] In English and Korean. Luckily having an amazing teacher made it easier for me to know exactly how to say 'I love you'.

[ Of course she has to slide another one in there, her smile curving into something equal parts fond and playful; the pink along his cheeks doesn't go unnoticed, and she reaches up to gently brush her fingers across the flushed skin. ]

I'm not seeing the problem with that. Especially since you'll need to deal with me being a pest too. [ She'll lean in to press her lips to his, letting the kiss linger before she pulls back. And then something almost sheepish passes over her expression, as she lets herself lean against him. ]

... Ah, I know I suggested going to get massages first, but I really don't want to be away from you at all right now...

[crisantemo]

[ The glow of her gaze meets his, and there's a part of her that wants to argue that she can't be calm - how can she, when that vile woman said something horrible to someone so dear to her? To someone who has been doing his best ever since he arrived here? She wants to lash out, to return the insult tenfold, but Jinwoo tells her to calm and she listens... Breathing out slowly as her body trembles from the force of her anger, the feeling of his fingers along her cheeks helping to soothe her. ]

Just because others talked about you like that doesn't make it okay. [ There's still a sharpness to her words, a fury that hasn't abated yet. ] They're idiots, all of them, for treating you like that.

And if they ever try to do that to you, I'll deal with them myself.

[ But his forehead bonks against hers, and the feeling of his fingers through her hair helps the tension to leave her. Slowly her shadows retreat, swirling back under her feet as she sighs. She nudges her forehead against his in return, letting the contact calm her further. ]

... We'll need to think of a way to celebrate, once you're free.

[lowestclass]

At least five, huh. [ he does have to chuckle--he wonders if she'll miscount on purpose. Likely, he will too, and try to fool her into thinking she hadn't hit five.

That'd be amusing. He's already smirking a little at the thought of it. ]

You probably could have had a much more effective teacher, but. I'll take the compliment anyway. I taught you more interesting words than an actual teacher would have, anyway. [ he's gonna wink an eye at her with a little rumble in his chest. ]

I don't. Really feel like leaving the room either.

...

We have the whole afternoon and evening to do things at the spa. Checkout isn't until 11am tomorrow morning.
We could just relax in the hot tub until dinner and then go for massages afterwords.

[ he tips his head towards the jaccuzi tub room that's the next room over. ...There's rose petals in the water and he hasn't realised it yet. ]

[lowestclass]

Looking back, I didn't think much of it until I got here. Everyone here is so much different, it really makes me think that what Jusis is doing--what he's planning. Is a good idea.

It's the only reason I haven't yet taken Zhongli's pact. As desperate as I am to escape. the Order members here deserve help. If it were any other group, I.

We'd be gone, by now.

And as for how to celebrate, well.

I'd definitely want to go travelling.

Maybe go somewhere I always wanted to go, but never got the chance to.

See things I was always too busy to see.

...Maybe go back to Korea, because I haven't been allowed to since. Then.

[crisantemo]

At least five. [ She repeats back, already having an idea of what he's thinking when she sees that smirk. There is a very, very high chance she will miscount on purpose - but she sees no issues with that. And she doubts he will either.

And she can't help but giggle again at his wink, smile brightening as there's a hum in agreement. But it's a relief to know she's not the only one who doesn't want to leave, and she gives a faint nod before turning her attention to the hot tub room. That would be a nice way to spend the rest of the afternoon... Especially since she knows she's going to be a little clingy for a while. ]

That sounds like an amazing idea. [ Lapis leans back a little now, making sure the necklace is safe and secure around her neck, before forcing herself to pull away to check out the tub. Let's see if it's already been heated up for them -

Oh.

There's a chuckle from Lapis, and she can only send an amused look Jinwoo's way. ]

... I'll assume the rose petals weren't your doing. Or if they are, I'm going to wonder if the season is having an affect on you.