Summer, September 15th - Atelier Sakura [Text/Action]

[zenoh]

Text - Public - Morning

[ Atelier Sakura is Ayame's second clothing store, which had been open for business for some time with relative success. Wanting to change that, Ayame devised a plan to attract more customers by making her store more inviting, and tonight is the night to make those plans a reality. Sending out a text to the network, Ayame invites people from other cities to come visit her refurbished store ]

Good morning, Genessia. Atelier Sakura of Fayren is having a re-opening night at 6:00pm. It is my second store, where I sell traditional Japanese clothing and accessories. You don't have to buy anything, but I encourage you to drop by nonetheless just to see the store along with the newly added light display, and try some Japanese snacks.

Until tonight. Your visit would be much appreciated.

Action - Fayren, Atelier Sakura - Evening

[ As for the store it self. It's built near the outskirts of Fayren where it's nestled in a small wooded area; surrounded by a copse of tall trees. The store lies on top of elevated ground. A slowly ascending path connecting to Fayren's roadways lead people to the store, but now illuminated with glowing pillars of rolled textiles encased in glass tubes. The short path forks slightly, with one leading to the entrance to a traditionally Japanese building, and another to a small fountain with a decorated stone orb that sits above the crystal clear water. Inside the store is a large "genkan", where the customers can interact with the staff on the elevated wooden platforms without having to take off their shoes, unless they're interested in getting fitted with a kimono.

Ayame can be seen wearing a kimono of her own creation. Depending on the hour of the night, she is either indoors talking to her customers with a drink in hand, or outside by the fountain, watching her customers enjoy the scenery, standing by the food stall manned by random men from a subarchway who she hired to serve some Japanese street food. There's okonomiyaki (savory pancake made with flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, and some pork belly), taiyaki (cake with fillings, usually red bean paste but is also available in custard, chocolate, cheese, or sweet potato), takoyaki (ball-shaped wheat-flour snacks with diced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion. It's topped with mayonaisse, takoyaki sauce, green laver, and some dried bonito flakes) and yakisoba (stir-fried soba noodles with pork, diced vegetables, and fried egg). ]

Comments

[gamerrep]

[Chiaki nodded before making sure they really weren't too far away.]

Well, they were a very good friend of mine... Probably one of the closest.

[She paused for a moment, sure she had many friends here and she was happy, but she wondered if perhaps she had spent more time with them than she did those she was close to or in one case lived with.]

They aren't here anymore, so I guess because of how close we were I miss them.

[zenoh]

[ At the end of their trip to New York, Mariko would have made it clear as crystal to Chiaki that her intents were to pursue Chiaki romantically. How Chiaki might have taken that is unknown to Ayame, but listening to the girl now, she empathizes towards Chiaki's and this mystery friend's disappearance ]

I understand. But there is always hope that they will show, though I wouldn't recommend scouring the network and expecting them to re-appear. Keep the thought in the back of your mind, while you continue to live day to day, and you shall be alright.

[ Her hand on Chiaki's shoulder remains, giving Chiaki a bit of a shake to get the younger woman to lighten up a little ]

I don't know who this friend of yours is. But they must be quite the gamer. Around your age, too, perhaps?

[gamerrep]

[She would like to hope that really, but even Chiaki figured that maybe doing what she was doing wasn't the best idea. Going to sit by the Bay for an hour or so a day just reminded her of when she would wait for Hinata and he never showed up. It just hurt yet she always found herself doing it. Maybe she had hope.]

I guess I can do that. Though my day to day mostly consists of playing games or working around them. [Probably a good way of distracting oneself.]

I think she was a very good gamer. I mean I've seen a lot of good gamers since I arrived here, but she was one that I thought maybe one day could beat me at my own game. [She was feeling a little bit better talking about it thought that she managed to smile a little bit.]

[zenoh]

I see; a worthy opponent.

[ Ayame can see how that would propel their friendship. That's how she was with someone back home. ]

Trying a new hobby wouldn't hurt. Do you have any interests besides games?

[gamerrep]

Well, I do other things if others are interested or if I want to spend time with people, but when I'm by myself... Not really.

[She figured that might be a bad thing now that she thinks about it.]

[zenoh]

Hm, now then it's a good time for you to try something new. That's the beauty this world provides. No matter who you were back home, there is opportunity to try something new without any worries.

[ Ayame gives Chiaki a comforting smile ]

Might I recommend modeling? You have a naturally alluring look about you.

[ Which is something similar to what Mariko said in the past, but Ayame isn't aware of that. She really just wants more cute people to model for her. ]

[gamerrep]

I guess that is true, back home the only thing I believe I had was my talent and that one could never make friends with that. But I was proven wrong.

[She paused, she wasn't sure if she would be good at that. Though models don't really do much do they?]

Though I might not have many talents, it would still be fun to learn new things. [She tilted her head curiously.]

Modelling?

[zenoh]

Yes. You can some extra cash along the way as well. It's easy. Just wear what I tell you to and pose in front of a camera.

[ Ayame's smile matches her current feelings, like a spider catching a butterfly into her web ]

[gamerrep]

Having extra cash isn't something I really need.

[She felt like she earned enough from the two jobs she does have. But it was obvious Chiaki was a little nervous about the thought.]

Not sure I'd really be good at it at all.