Too Much Time on My Hands [Open]

[Kim Tatsuo]

Of all the many, many things that Tatsuo was good at...waiting was not one of them. The council wasn't due to meet for another hour, but here he was, waiting for them in the council room. He had left early today at his mother's insistence--while he didn't like taking orders from that old harpy, he had left just to get away from her nagging. It was so irritating to dislike one's mother; he strove to be a good man, and to honor his parents, but he didn't think that even the purest person in the world would love spending time with someone who berated them to no end. 

So, rather than stay at home listening to that noise, he was sitting cross-legged at the long council table with a scrap of cheap paper in his hands. Little by little, he tore off tiny pieces of the paper, ignited them, and let them drift into the air as they turned to ash. The scraps were always too small to float all the way to the rice-paper screens that lined the room, but a few had given him a good scare. His powers were strong enough to ignite the paper, but putting out the blaze something like that would cause...well, it was way out of his league. Since he was a child his parents had discouraged the use of his magic, but he couldn't help thinking that the Mother Goddess must have given it to him for a reason--a reason he wasn't going to be prepared for if he didn't practice at least a little. Unfortunately, that was his excuse for being reckless, too.

He never tried to outright hide his powers, but most people didn't know about them, either. Anyone who walked in, unless they knew him well, would be in for a surprise.

[Mai Noa]

Noa was in for a surprise.

They were serving cakes in the streets! Apparently it was a noble daughter's birthday celebration (not one from the Mai family) and in honor of her they had servants passing out treats to passerby. If Noa was doing what she ought to then she would likely be in Candra, prostrate before the Mother Goddess, begging for wisdom and guidance in regards to the council meeting she would be attending shortly. As it was, Noa was out and about. She had spent the entire morning in the market perusing goods. The life of a priestess was one of modesty--therefore she was penniless--but that didn't stop her from looking and appreciating. Nine times out of ten, when Noa found something she truly loved and expressed her admiration, the shop owner gave it to her free of charge. Her robes clearly marked her profession, and though she was very newly promoted to her current position her face was quickly becoming a recognized one.

"Vanilla." Noa responded to the servant who asked her preference. She pursed her lips. "No, strawberry." She smiled gaily and ducked her chin, apologetic for her constantly changing mind. "Actually," she raised a finger and slowly moved its tip to her chin, "Chocolate." Her expression became serious and she nodded slowly. "Yes. Wait, no." The servant wasn't very good at hiding his impatience. He sighed and stacked the three cake flavors on top of one another, put them on a plate, and handed them over.

"How about all three, miss? In honor of the Mother Goddess." He glanced towards her robes and then bowed his head at her respectfully. Noa gasped, giggled in delight, and then dipped her head to him.

"May our Mother smile on your kindness." It wasn't any official blessing--if there was even such a thing--but when priestesses spoke words of kindness it always had a way of lifting spirits.

Continuing on her merry way, Noa decided to pop into the council room. It was never a sin to be early. In fact, to be on time was to be late. Noa hummed a happy tune as she shuffled down the hall, attention fully on the cakes on the paper plate in hand. They were each topped with icing the same flavor as the cake itself. When the man had stacked them he'd created a triple layered neopolitan masterpiece. Noa did not delay in shoving it into her mouth. Shoving wasn't quite the right word. Her mouth was too small to get a good bite. Instead she fumbled with it and only managed to nibble off a side piece, getting chocolate icing on her nose in the process.

Noa rounded the screens and was immediately faced with fiery rain. A high-pitched squeal left her mouth, her cake left her plate, and the priestess stumbled backwards into the screen, ripping it as she fell to the ground.

[Kim Tatsuo]

He really should have known better than to fill the room with burning paper. But he didn't. He was going to have to pay for the aftermath.

Tatsuo didn't even have time to process what was happening before there was cake flying through the air, screaming hitting his eardrums, and a loud crash as someone fell through the paper screens lining the room. He hardly had time to process, instinctively jumping to his feet, before a piece of cake hit him full in the face, leaving frosting all over it. He knew he ought to focus on the other person first, but he still brought a finger to his face, and used it to move some of the frosting into his mouth. It was fantastic, clearly prepared by a professional.

"Mmm, strawberry," He murmured as he pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve, reluctantly clearing away the rest of the frosting. Such a waste of delicious pastries...Ah well. He was clean--mostly--and it was time to help others instead of himself. He cleared the room in just a few strides of his long legs, and offered his hand to the damsel in distress sitting in the wake of the destruction. It wasn't until afterwards that he realized he was looking down into a familiar face. Here she was! He hadn't had as much time as he would have liked to catch up with his childhood playmate, and now it looked like he had destroyed the perfect opportunity to chat with her.

Even after such a ridiculous disaster, even with frosting on her nose, he couldn't help noticing how beautiful she had grown up to be. It was funny--even after their time apart, he would have known her face anywhere. It was those doe eyes, always full of joy and wonder. He didn't know how she managed to be as sweet as the cake she had chucked at him, even after all she had seen and been through, but he could tell even now that she was still the same Noa-chan she had been before all that. Could he still call her that, now that she had become a beautiful young lady? Oh goddess, he could already feel his face reddening. Trying to recover lost ground, he gave her his most charming smile, hoping to both put her at ease and earn her forgiveness for scaring her so terribly.

"I apologize for scaring you, Mai-chan. I promise I haven't set anything but paper on fire--but clearly I owe you some cake."

[Mai Noa]

The first thing Noa felt as she sat on the floor was her tailbone bruising. She'd never actually felt it bruising in the past, but there was no mistaking what it was doing in that moment. She'd caught it at just the wrong angle. The second thing she felt was remorse. Her dark eyes had quickly found the cake that was to be the most delicious treat...on the floor. If she were in her home she would have blown it off and consumed it anyway, but such carelessness was not respectable in public. The third thing she felt, which she only felt after Kim Tatsuo himself walked up to her, smiled, and offered a hand, was humiliation. It was thick and carried enough heat to melt her face off.

"K-Kim-kun." She breathed, eyelids fluttering, cheeks flushing, and body freezing up. She should have climbed to her feet but she remained where she sat, gown ruffled and all.

She couldn't believe he recognized her. They hadn't had a chance to reunite. She had changed so much. So had he, but she knew who he was because she had researched the council members before joining it. Imagine her surprise when she'd discovered the boy from the streets who used to tell her she had pretty hair was a member of the council. And now, to think, he remembered her too.

Her look of surprise melted into a soft smile.

"Tatsuo-kun." Simply changing what name she used spoke volumes. She hoped she hadn't gone somewhere he would rebuke her for.

[Kim Tatsuo]

A massive grin immediately appeared on Tatsuo's face, much less charming and more like a small boy who had just been given the one thing he really wanted for his birthday. He lit up at the sound of his first name on her lips. It had been far too long.

"It's good to see you, Noa-chan, he answered, "I missed you." She hadn't moved to get up, apparently too startled, so he boldly moved to grab both of her hands and pull her to her feet. If she allowed it, he'd take both her hands in his, and pull her slowly to her feet. He leaned in close as he crouched to reach her, knowing that he would surely be pushing things by invading her space that much, even with a good excuse--then he would pull away, just a second later, extending her arms and his as he pulled her up. Still, she was so cute when flustered, and he couldn't resist pushing it a little farther. After all, she had been his only playmate when they were young, the source of laughter, recipient of flowers and frogs. He had missed having someone to be happy with, after such a long while.

How funny that he had never realized before that a friend was what he was missing? He had dedicated so much time and energy to the council and his family, that he hadn't had much time to consider himself. His chest twinged with tightness as he imagined Noa rejecting his friendship, now that he was grown. Surely she would welcome him back with open arms, let him laugh with her and bring her flowers and candy once more? They couldn't simply throw away the past, and surely that smile meant something, didn't it?

[Mai Noa]

I missed you.

Noa flushed a bit deeper at hearing that. Was he flirting with her? No, surely she was mistaken. She dismissed all possibilities until he reached out for her hands, getting dangerously close to her face with his, and helped her to her feet. A man who was not interested in a woman would not help her stand. Noa's heart quickened as her mind ran away with her, thinking of all the possibilities. They were swiftly shut down by the impossibility. Life was about more than men. Anyways, she couldn't be with him unless he joined the temple. Now that thought brought a different kind of smile to her lips.

"You are too king, Council Member Kim." She played with how official his title was, laughing quietly after saying it. Only yesterday they were children. Now they were some of the most influential people in all of Easthaven. She could hardly believe it.

"How are your mother and father?" She asked conversationally, looking down to her gown to brush anything that might have fallen on it away. Afterwards she sent a sidelong glance to the divider, knowing that no amount of brushing would be able to fix that...

[Kim Tatsuo]

Tatsuo's laugh was not quiet as he echoed her laugh about his official title. It still didn't seem right to have such a cumbersome title, but really, that wasn't even his full title: Councilman Kim Tatsuo, Head of the Kim Family. He'd had a stamp made to sign his correspondence from now on, because writing that out was tedious, and made his wrist hurt.

Asking about his family? Now that was a joke. She had to know how terrible they were, but her kind heart had always made her try to understand those less fortunate--or at least less intelligent--than her. She probably prayed for people like that, that they would see the light of the goddesses and come to their senses, or some such thing. It was almost too bad that there was no hope for his parents.

Following her gaze, he picked up the screen's frame as he spoke, and was pleased to see that the paper had torn away from the frame fairly neatly on several edges, and the rest was merely crinkled. It might look like a mess, but a good craftsman might be able to repair it, assuming they were well compensated by a certain family head...

"Oh, you know my mother, Council Member Mai. As bitter and crotchety as ever, if not more so," he teased with a wink, then his face became a bit more solemn, "My father has been facing a great illness for quite a while. At times he seems to be good as new, but then the illness returns just as strong as it was before. We're not sure how much longer he'll be with us, but he still makes time to lecture me whenever he's feeling well enough."

The Kim men weren't really the closest either, but at least his father had good intentions where his mother hungered for power. He wanted what was best for his wife and his family, and he had often guided his son to the right decisions when he first joined the council. They didn't see eye to eye, and often argued, but Tatsuo could appreciate the good he saw in his father which was so absent in his ever-present buzzard of a mother.

[Mai Noa]

Noa watched as Tatsuo used his strength to lift up the divider. Granted, it wan't heavy, but she still found it extremely gentlemanly that he would pick it up for her. She communicated as much by bowing at the waist for him, not wanting to interrupt his words by speaking her thanks.

"Ahh, take care Kim-san, when you speak of your mother." Her tone had changed a bit, and was much less familiar and far wiser. "The Mother Goddess smiles not on those who disdain parents, especially their mothers--even if they don't model her kind, motherly nature. Think deeply of the nine months she carried you and the years she spent putting food into your mouth afterwards." Granted, as a noble it was likely he had been cared for by another woman...but it was still the thought that mattered. Mothers could dispose of their children if they chose to. Noa always advocated for mothers, even when they were literally evil.

"It pains me to hear of your father." She spoke gently, and was tempted to reach out to touch his arm. She refrained. Inappropriate touch between a male and a female could start a fire they didn't want to burn. Especially if someone saw. "Has he already been seen by a healer? If not it would be an honor to treat him." Noa offered her services with eagerness. She was always eager to help the weak, and even more so now because she knew the man--that is, she knew the son, and what were sons if not shadows of their fathers?