A Walk in the Park [Sharaku]

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 12:22 pm

Happy wasn't necessarily the word. He was simply okay. Regardless, he didn't come around to have her think up favors to do for him, did he? ''I'm fine, yes.'' The only things that were real problems right now were those that applied to her by base anyway. There wasn't even anything he could ask of her, had he actually wanted to. Nothing came to mind...not that he was really trying.

Did she? ''Then, talking makes you feel better?'' Well, it appeared so, with how this talk was going. It was still somewhat strange to see. He often chose the opposite route, and just dealt with things himself, instead of rattling about them to others. He was never sure how much it helped to talk. More often than not, it just felt awkward. Depending on the subject in question. ''It's not the hardest thing in the world either, I'd say. I suppose everyone has to learn eventually...unless they plan to have someone else cook for them all the time, or live off bought food. Good luck anyway.'' And who would really pick that? Okay, someone maybe would. ''Guess that is one of the good things about being a robot. Not needing to worry about eating.'' Then again, people probably actually liked to eat, so maybe it wasn't that good.

''Figures. Besides, he never really acted differently around me.'' It was always something overly naive or silly. It was hard to have a different impression when that was all you've seen up till now. Charles needed to learn more about how the human world worked first, if nothing else. ''I prefer to think that there isn't a real right way. You do what feels right, and hope it works out.'' It either does, or does not. After seeing the result, you can decide on a further action. There weren't really clear rules about what was correct and what not when it came to love and anything closely related.

He would stay quiet as she explained herself, simply thinking. So that's how it was, eh? Well, he could see how she'd feel that way. Honestly, at times, he himself had a feeling that Shun just had an extreme crush on him more than anything else. Though, he didn't ponder over that too much, as there was no exact proof for anything in the end. Nor did it really matter by now. All that aside, there was still the question. Did he want to? He had never paid relationships much mind in the past. Not until he came here, and started having to deal with Shun..which hadn't been exactly the best ride ever. On the other hand...you never know until you try. In a way, the idea was intriguing. She was more of an optimist, and all, which he generally wasn't. Perhaps it could be good for him. He already knew the opposite was just a total fail. That, and some change could be useful...for several reasons.

However....If he was to do this, then it would have to go a bit differently than last time.

A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] - Page 2 I2VmSNX

''A try doesn't hurt, does it..?'', he would give her a half-smile. ''Though, perhaps there are some things about me you should know first. I think we both agree that it's better to be honest, yes? And I think this is something you should know before making a final decision. Rather than it coming around later and blowing something up.'', he would huff slightly. ''Then again, you did date a robot, so maybe I do get some leeway. I'm not exactly normal myself.'', he would state, almost humorously. He was definitely human when compared to Charles, but well, not exactly the same as the rest you meet on a street. ''This will not be a very nice talk, I'd say. Are you up for it...?'', he'd ask her with a somewhat inquisitive look. He sure wasn't used to being open about things like that, but it was probably the better way to go, instead of her finding out later if this actually went somewhere.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:22 pm

"Hehehe. That'll do." Mae said, chuckling happily. At least he didn't say "not fine". That would've been a bit concerning. Now then... Onto the heavier stuff...

"I think it's not necessarily the talking in and of itself that makes me feel better... It's more or less just the fact that someone can listen to my worries, and help me carry them. If that makes sense. As long as someone's willing to listen." That was probably the most important part; if the one she was talking to was even listening in the first place. "It's better than keeping the issues bottled up inside... But that might just be me." Everyone dealt with things differently. That was just how Mae dealt with things. Making her ease up. And right now, Sharaku proved to be an excellent listener. "Cooking really is one of those 'Easy to learn, difficult to master' kind of things, huh?" Then again, that was the case with most activities. "Is it though? They are missing out on one of the key components of Human society." Food was indeed a very cultural thing. Not that being able to eat it made you any wiser, but it was an experience which had come to define cultures.

"Hehe. Well, maybe he can change?" He would eventually learn everything he needed. Charles was indeed very much like a child in many regards. It was interesting to see how he percieved the world around him... Everything changes once you look at things with the mentality of a curious child. "Maybe that's the right way? Doing what you feel is right?" It did carry some merit with it. Whether or not doing so would end up going well was not garantueed, but hey, at least you're being honest to yourself when doing things that way.

Mae couldn't help but smile. He was willing to try it out! Just hearing that made her feel better than she had felt for the last couple of weeks. "Yeah, I did." Mae would say with a light huff. Then her expression turned a bit more serious. "Well, if you're willing to tell me, then yes. I'm up for it." Not a nice talk, eh? She could most likely handle it. She was ready... Time to see what made Sharaku Rikei the man he was today...

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:09 pm

Listen...well, maybe that did something. But most of the time, the responses he got didn't really make him feel much better. Was that why he didn't care for talking much? Could be, but he could hardly be sure. Most aspects of socializing and all were just extra confusing. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be understood to begin with. Ah well. If it helped her, then it was a plus she had. ''I see.'', he would smile thinly. ''Guess that's something I'm good for at times. Listening.'' Afterall, when the other side wasn't provoking or pushing him, he would listen to what they had to say. He was okay with doing that as long as he wasn't being annoyed by excessive whining and all that. Despite being mostly patient, he did have a jumpy temper at times. Mainly when people were a bit too offensive in their talking towards him and such. Though, how he felt about the person also played a small part in the equation. It was harder to listen when he didn't care for it much, due to the talker themselves.

Was it? ''Perhaps, perhaps not. I don't find it to be hard in general. Then again, everyone has an easier time with something else.'' While he wasn't the greatest cook ever, he didn't have any actual problems with doing it just fine. And he had to regardless, as he lived on his own. Fast food and all that was not something he liked much, so it came down to taking care of his own food. ''No idea. But looking at it that way...they are missing out on a lot that we humans have.'' They didn't eat, drink. Nor did they really feel as much as humans. The fact that they couldn't age was probably something that could go both ways. And so on.

''Maybe he could try to learn. But he strikes me as a bit overconfident. I tried explaining something to him before, and he refused to believe me, thinking he was right regardless. So, I don't know. It might take him a while.'' Maybe if there was definite proof. But that was not possible for every situation. He would chuckle a bit. ''Maybe? I don't know. I'm just taking a guess.'' Whatever was right, was. Too bad it was often impossible to tell what it was.

Well then. How to do this, though? ''Alright then. Let's see about this...'' He didn't know which end to start from, really. ''I'm sure it's obvious that my looks aren't exactly normal, yes? Or at the very least, I don't think I've ever heard of something like this.'', he would frown a bit. ''I'm not sure if you remember, but I think I've told you a while back that I don't have a Persona, like the lot of you, yes? You see, instead of that, I'm kind of stuck with a Shadow 24/7, which is why I can fight like the rest of you. And also one of the reasons why I look the way I do.'', he would chuckle slightly. ''I'm sure you're at least heard that people use animals for experiments, and all that. Well, let's say some go as far as doing it with their own kind. I'm sure you can guess.'', he would smile a bit sadly. ''Following me so far? If you want, you can ask things. This is sort of hard to explain when I have to do it on my own.'', he would look at her questioningly. Besides, throwing too much at once at someone was not the best idea, so he'd let her take this in first.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:47 pm

"Hehe. You are. And you do seem to genuinely care about what I'm saying as well. And even if it doesn't seem like much, it does mean a lot to me... Sometimes, getting things off of your chest makes you feel better afterwards, no?" It made her feel better anyway. But Sharaku was probably different from her in that regard. Then again the two were basically opposites in certain ways. But they got along just fine. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they both mutually respected eachother's differences? Mae honestly did not know.

"Yeah. Everyone has something they are good at." Like Mae was good at singing and taking care of people. Both things she genuinely enjoyed. The former had taken a lot of practice and dedication, but it was worth it in the end. "Yeah... Which makes things difficult for them... But then again, from what you've told me, they aren't exactly designed for interacting much with humans to a large extent. Of course, there may be exceptions..." And who said they still couldn't learn? They probably could, if they really wanted to.

"Overconfident? Huh... I never experienced him like that. I guess he just hid that side of himself from me..." Which he most likely did. She wasn't a big fan of that kind of behaviour. And he was being rather sweet with her... And it was working out for him for a while... why should he had felt the need to change his demeanour towards her? Aside from what happened back then at the park... "Taking a guess, huh?" Something told Mae he was just being a bit modest... Because what he was saying didn't seem like an educated guess... But what did she know?

Wait... What? He had a shadow inside of him? And that's the reason behind the way he looked? "Wait... Someone did this to you? Through experimentation on humans? Whoever they are... what they did disgusts me... How could they do such a thing to you?!" Mae looked at him with a concerned look on her face. "It does remind me a little bit of how I got my own powers... Against my will pretty much. But I've only had these for a couple of months... You have lived with this much longer, no?" Come to think of it, didn't he split up from his parents. "Is that the reason why you've moved around so much?" Honestly, she couldn't care less about the fact that he had a shadow within him. He was still Sharaku. Why should her feelings for him change because of something like that?

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:38 pm

He would lean back against the bench. ''Well, if I didn't care...I wouldn't have even come here to begin with, I think.'' Would he? It would be pointless in more than one way. He had known that something like this would be the topic from the way things were phrased the last time they met. So, he knew he would have to listen for a while at least. If he did not want to, he could have just refused to come at all. ''And I don't know...it depends on the person I'm talking to. I don't feel better if they respond in a way that has the opposite effect.'', he would smile thinly.

''I think it depends on the person who made them. I'm not sure why would someone do it for a different reason than something fight related, however. In the end, a human would obviously make more sense for anything related to companionship, as they have a better grasp on emotions at base. In the end..their existence is our fault in a way. Humans are the ones that make androids...'' Was it a necessary thing? Who was truly stronger, a human, or an artificial intelligence? It was honestly questionable at times. He would look upwards at the sky. ''We tend to act differently around people, depending on how we view them. I think that may be the reasons some things simply don't work out. The guy that I mentioned liking me before....it was pretty much the only thing he was aiming for since we met. We were never even proper friends at all. I think that's one of the reasons why it couldn't even work. He acted on his feelings from the start. I never really got to see a different side of him until later. It was somewhat late by then...'' And it wasn't even the only reason why it simply wasn't right. Though, it didn't particularly mean anything in the end, as he figured Shun would always think it was not fair. Until he got over it, at least. ''Well, I can't claim I know for sure. I don't have where from. So calling it a guess would be most appropriate.'' So yes, he was mostly just guessing from what he could assume. He had at least seen other people have relationships around him. Plus what happened with Shun.

He would give her a faint smile. ''I suppose, in a way, humans have a tendency to be greedy. I guess they wanted to see if they could use people as a way to tame a Shadows and use their power. That's most likely why someone would do this.'' It was sad, but things like that happened. Humans could be cruel at times. He would be quiet for a bit, counting mentally. ''Yes. Years, you could say. I was forced to afterall. I've...pretty much spent 5 years as a lab rat. From 13 till 18. It took them a long time to find out what actually worked. So..it was a bit different from what you faced. Can't say what they did with me didn't hurt and all...'' It wasn't fun. That much was for sure. ''You're right...it is the reason. They didn't let me go. I had to run away...and I suppose they don't like that. I couldn't stay in one place for long, if I didn't want to risk them finding me. That...and it wasn't as if I even had anywhere to really stay after that or anything in general...'', he would shake his head. ''I decided to stop running, however. That's why I'm here now. Even though, I'm never really safe, I guess. I already had one woman come after me, attempting to kill me because of what I am...'', he would add with a faint chuckle. Would she have anything to say to that...?

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:21 pm

"Well, I'm glad you did show up." Mae said with a warm smile. What would she had done had Sharaku decided not to show up? Probably give up... But luckily, that wasn't the case. He was here now, and that was all that mattered in the end. "Well, obviously. I wouldn't feel much better if the person I was talking to was being an utter prick. You're a nice guy though. Really nice." That's the impression she got of him. Sure, he could be a bit of a tease at times, but that was hardly something Mae complained about. As long as he didn't do it too often, it wouldn't bother her in the slightest.

Mae nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Charles does make for some... interesting company though. You mentioned you knew another android? What's he or she like?" Mae asked curiously. She wanted to get to know this Robot as well... Maybe she could get some insight on how these robots actually worked... "So it literally was a crush. I've had a couple of those over the years... But eh. Like with you, none of them ended well..." Most of the guys she used to have a crush on didn't even know about it. Mae had just been too shy to talk to them. It wasn't until recently where she had gotten the confidence to do so... Maybe it was just because she was getting older... or something else. It didn't really matter much to her why. "Hehe. Alright." Mae chuckled lightly. Maybe he wasn't being modest. Although, it did suit him somewhat.

"That must've been... horrible. Forced to run away from your parents like that... I'm sorry..." Mae's smile had long since faded, but still... She focused on what Sharaku told her, taking in everything bit by bit as her brain processed it all. "Well, I'm glad you decided to stop running... Had you not, I probably would never have met you..." Mae tried her best to give him a comforting smile... "Wait... Someone's after you!?" She exclaimed, worried. "At least you survived..." Indeed. Hopefully this woman wouldn't try again... "Well... You've been through a lot... It's unfortunate all this had to happen to you of all people... I'll do my best to make sure this is going to work..." He was willing to give it a shot after all... She didn't want to dissapoint. Not when Sharaku had been so kind to give her this opportunity. "What's past is past... It's the present day Sharaku that matters to me in the end. I apprechiate the honesty, though... Thanks for trusting me with this."

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:20 pm

Sharaku would snort slightly. Nice, eh? Sometimes, he wasn't even sure what to think. One person said this, another that. ''Am I? A lot of people seem to think otherwise....'' It could be confusing at times. Though...maybe it was because he didn't have any problems with her yet. Or she just didn't take everything as personally as some people he knew did. It was hard to say. But perhaps he would find out eventually.

Hmm. ''He's..very different from Charles. He's much more mature and all. But he does sometimes act a bit too robotic, analyzing every situation like a machine would. I know he has problems with human feelings too, though. He asked me about them before. Still, he is rather capable. He's even taking care of a young girl all by himself, as she doesn't have any parents left.'', he'd explain after a moment of thought. It was actually somewhat hard. Sure, he had known Sentinel for quite a good while by now...but he didn't really know as much as he would like to think. At least, when he was to exclude the personal things, like the fact that Sentinel killed the girl's father and all that. ''At least..you did? I don't think I've ever had feelings for someone like that. That one was the first time I even tried an actual relationship..and it was honestly only one-sided. I just didn't want to shove him away for a good while, because he's very easy to upset...'', he would sigh a little. Well, what happened, happened.

''It was bad...yes, but I guess I've learned to live with it.'' As if there was much else to do about it in any case. ''Perhaps so...'' He honestly didn't know what to say to that. Would things have been very different had they not met? You can never tell which way would be the better one. Ah well. He would chuckle a bit. ''She shouldn't be a problem for now. Though, I do wonder what is she doing now...she hasn't been very happy after I beat her.'' It was hard to find time for everything. He had planned on seeing Maya one day, but it was almost impossible to cram everything. And there was always the possibility that she would try to skewer him with her swords if he did go after her.

He would give her a light smile. ''I know...Present is what matters, but I can't deny that the past affects it somehow. I used to avoid people because of it before...I never even considered relationships until recently, due to what people made me go through. So...I'm not really used to being close to people..I guess I wanted you to know so you wouldn't think I'm being difficult just because, in case something happens. I had that problem last time in a way. Then again...I can't say I was actually really interested...so maybe that played a part too...'', he would elaborate, at least trying not to be awkward with this,before giving her a somewhat laidback smile. For now, that should work...He would see what happens later.. ''Sad discussions aside, however...did you have any other plans beside us sitting here?'', he would ask with a questioning glance.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:35 pm

"Hehe, Sharaku. You haven't given me much of a reason to think otherwise." A little tease here and there didn't matter much. She knew he didn't mean to be spiteful about those anyway. And honestly, it felt weird to think of a Sharaku that went out of his way to be mean. It just didn't suit her image of him at all.

"Hm.... He does sound interesting." Mae said thoughtfully. Another Robot eh? "Well, I suppose acting a bit robotic is an inevitability for them... It's what they are..." Unless technology had advanced so far that they could get rid of the robotic speech patters and such. It was possible... "At least he's curious and willing to learn. So, that's a good thing he's got going for him. I honestly hope everything works out for him in the end." Mae would honestly want to meet this android for herself. Comparing him to Charles. Now that she knew that more of his kind existed... Why not try to interact with some? Who knows, they might actually get along well... "You haven't? Oh, then you're missing out... It's actually a pretty good feeling. Especially when it's more than just a crush. When you're actually genuinely interested in a relationship..." What else was there to say? Maybe All of that would change... After all, Mae did have feelings for him...

"Well, after all this time, I'm not suprised you've gotten used to it. You can pretty much get used to anything with enough exposure to it." Just look at Mae. When she had first been introduced to Shadows and Personas, she was so lost, and insecure. Now, she had pretty much gotten used to this supernatural world that she had been cast into. "It's funny how the world works, no? It's almost as if this stuff doesn't happen by coincidence..." But that might just be her imagination... But sometimes, it did feel like there was more to this than just mere coincidence... Didn't she discuss this very subject with Quinn a couple of weeks back? "Well, that's a relief... Let's hope it stays that way, yeah?" Mae let out a sigh of relief. At least she didn't have to worry about some crazed lady chasing after Sharaku anymore... Hopefully...

So did that mean he was interested in this? That would be something, now wouldn't it? If this actually turned out to be something great, then Mae felt honoured to be Sharaku's first... "Well, after what you've been through... I don't blame you for avoiding people... But hey... Y-You have me now... So, that's something... R-Right?" Mae said nervously, looking at Sharaku with a sheepish smile. "I dunno... I guess we could take a walk around the park or something together... And just talk about whatever comes to mind." Mae stood up slowly, waiting for Sharaku to do the same. "So... Shall we?"

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 8:58 pm

Guess he didn't. He figured as much. If he had, then she would probably not have said what she had. ''I guess so...I was just saying...'' Or maybe he should just stop. Because at this rate, it would just get extra awkward. And that was not the aim here. Sometimes it would do him good to not question everything that was said. It was one of the things that got him into arguments in the first place.

''He's not bad. Though, at times I'm not sure how to feel about him. Maybe it's just that I don't know how to deal with the more robotic moments. It's strange.'' But aside from that, he didn't have any actual problem with Sentinel. They weren't really that close, as a matter of fact. He didn't meet the android as often as some other people, so their relations were here and there. But from what he knew, the guy was fairly well liked in general. ''But yes, he seems to be doing well among humans. You most likely wouldn't be able to really tell he is a robot unless he wanted you to know.'' Compared to Charles who was rather obvious with his obliviousness. It was easy to start being suspicious in his case.

He would hum a bit. ''I am..? Well, maybe so...Though, I didn't care about it before. I'm generally fine with being a loner..but perhaps it's worth a try...'', he would chuckle a bit. He really didn't mind being alone for the most part, but it did feel a bit lonely at times. Yet, he didn't feel too comfortable being a social butterfly either. Just...somewhere in between. Or back and forth. He didn't know for sure. ''That's true. There probably isn't anything one can't get used to after some time.'' Still, getting used to something didn't have to mean it was good in any way. But yes, it happened. Usually. ''Who knows? We'll probably be never be able to tell whether it's just coincidence or not. It most likely doesn't matter either. It happened, so who cares by what means?'', he would shake his head in slight amusement. ''I'll have to see..but hopefully it will, yes...'' He would honestly just go with the flow at this point.

He would scratch at his cheek a bit. ''It's...something, yes. I think..?'' Ehm, yes, let's just...Sometimes he wished he knew what to even say when being told something like this. Without it being too awkward. Ah well...''Fine with me. Sitting around gets boring eventually, does it not..?'', he would remark, standing up himself. Hm. He had no idea what to talk about, though. Starting small talk wasn't something he was that good at. ''So, do you actually enjoy hanging out at a park or did you go with this because I suggested it back then...?''

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:53 pm

This was actually going really well. Sure, it was a little awkward right now... But it would probably die down eventually. "Oh, no need to be so modest, Sharaku." Mae chuckled happily. "If someone has a big issues with you, then that's their problem." Mae would cross her arms and huff. After all, he couldn't change who he was. One could certainly adapt, but sometimes it wasn't that easy... "If it's minor things though, you could adapt... But hey, It's your life. I'm not gonna come here and tell you what you can and can't do." Frankly, that would be stupid and silly. Plus, Mae wasn't one to give out orders. She was one that would rather follow orders than give them.

"I'm sure if you're willing to give it a chance, things should work out." Mae said somewhat confidently. Sharaku didn't seem to have a clear-cut opinion on this other robot compared to that of Charles. "Oh? He's that believable?" The marvels of technology never ceased to impress Mae. "Hehe, I'm glad you're willing to give it a chance." This was good news for Mae... Very good news.

"Yeah. No use in worrying about it though, as it never happened anyway." But it was still interesting to think about. Where would she be now had she not bumped into Sharaku that day at the train station? "I hope no one else shows up to take you out..." It was possible... but she knew very little about this situation anyway.

"You're getting nervous too?" Mae teased him a little as the two stood up. Sharaku had been acting a bit awkwardly... He just needed to loosen up a bit. Getting used to Mae. "Yeah, it does make me a bit restless after a while." As the two started walking together around the park, Mae would carefully start holding his hand. Hopefully he was fine with that. Somehow, it made things feel... official. "I guess it's a little bit of both, now that I think about it." She noticed how he struggled coming up with something to talk about... She could help him with that. "So... What's Portugal like?" She asked with a curious expression on her face... It wasn't perhaps the best way to start a conversation... but It had to do.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:05 pm

He wasn't really being modest...it's just that he didn't know what to really respond with? He didn't want to complicate things by saying something out of line. He knew well that he was capable of turning things by 180° fairly easily at times. Without really planning to. And he was honestly tired of arguments he barely meant to start for real. Ah well...''I suppose it is. But I don't really enjoy offending people...even though it seems to happen often enough, even when I don't mean to. Maybe it's the way I speak?'' It certainly seemed to be. He did have the tendency to sound a bit harsh without intending it to be that way specifically, so that was most likely the problem. And while he was aware of it..it was a habit. He couldn't really keep reigns on that easily, despite not enjoying the results most of the time. ''I do try to adapt...but it isn't always enough. But..it's fine in a way. It's not like people have to stay around me if they don't like me for whatever reason...'' As much as it didn't feel at first. But he knew it was impossible to get along with everyone. And frankly, he was doing a lot better than in the past, so he couldn't complain that much.

''I know. I guess it's just not as easy as it appears when people talk about it...or maybe that's just me.'' Yes, he knew it was a matter of giving it a go, but he never found that too easy. Despite people around him getting into relationships fairly simply. Either he was missing something, or he was just slow with this? Or something. ''In a way. But..he's the first one I met, so I didn't even know androids were a thing before he revealed it. But, I think he does fit in the crowds well, compared to Charles, at least.'' Sure, he couldn't tell before...but he didn't even know androids existed before he found out Sentinel was one. Still, it didn't seem that people suspected the guy that easily. ''Though, you could probably bust him easily enough if you brought up complicated matters related to feelings and emotions. That's probably a weak side for each of them, in a way.'' It appeared to be. As long as you knew androids existed. Otherwise, you might just think the person is a little emotionally behind..? He didn't know how to call it.

He would chuckle a bit. ''Well, you never know until you try, right? And it isn't like I dislike you...'' If he had, he would have been inclined to say no, obviously. He did not really want a repeat of last time. And that would be likely if he knew something was not right from the start. That was one feeling he could sort of rely on. When it felt wrong, it just did. He would just nod a bit. It was a bit useless to worry about that now. Though, he would smirk a bit next. ''If someone does, I'll fight back. I refuse to just bow down, afterall.'' Everything else aside, he was a fighter. He wouldn't give in that easy when he had a different option to take.

He would look to the side a bit. ''I'm just...I don't know. I never know how to respond to something like that...if that means I'm nervous..then maybe.'' Did it? He never really considered it that way. And...did it matter anyway? ''Right.'' He could agree with that. He prefered moving about. He would blink a bit when she went to hold his hand. But he would say nothing, letting it be. He didn't really have a problem with that. ''Good. I wouldn't want you to be here just because I said so.'', he would shrug a little. Though, he asked the question just because in the first place. ''Hmm...'' Her question caught him off the guard a bit. Well. ''Well...I did leave when I was still young, so there isn't much to say. But I used to live near the coast. So lots of sand and sea?'', he would chuckle a bit. ''It is different than Japan, at least.'' That much was certain.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:28 am

"Could be. I don't have a problem with it. They could almost as easily be at fault for anything, really. Maybe they just take things a bit to personally?" Mae chuckled lightly. "That's very true. You don't have to stay around people who dislike you. Nor should you, really." Why hang out with people who disliked you in the first place? Maybe if someone was masochistic enough, they might find some enjoyment out of that... but Sharaku wasn't one of those. That was pretty clear considering he had just stated he disliked the arguments that arose.

"Well, it's never that easy. At least if you want something real, and long lasting." Mae sighed deeply, with a thin smile on her face. "For me... the hardest part have always been the confession. I rarely ever mention my feelings for anyone unless they directly ask me about it..." Because then she had no excuse to hide it if people wanted to know. That and she wasn't really all that fond of lying... As Sharaku knew by now. "So... How did he reveal it? Charles just up and told me... I believe it was the third time we met?" Yeah, it was. She remembered it clearly. They were outside the school gates, and Charles had been troubled by something... Someone he had "killed"... "Hehe, you could probably bust humans with that too, if it's complex enough. Emotions are confusing at times..." Why did something like that have to be so complicated? Well, perhaps it was better off that way.

Mae smiled happily at Sharaku. "Thank you!" That was all she could manage to say. The pinkette was positively radiating joy. He was fine with it! She had been so worried he would say no... "I'll give this my all!" Yeah. There was no way she would let this one collapse. But she had to be careful about what she did, and take things slow. After what She had heard from his previous relationship, that was the contributing factor as to why it didn't work out. Moving too quickly... "Heh. That's the spirit." He was a fighter. No way that he would give up without a fight.

"I guess it's my turn then... Relax, Sharaku. Hehe." Mae did her best to calm her own nerves as well. "It's okay to not know how. This kind of stuff is never simple, really." She looked at him somewhat confused. "What do you mean? Does the location really matter that much? I wanted to talk to you, so I did..." Had she known back then that she would actually tell him about her feelings for him... She probably would've picked someplace else... but the park did a good job for what it was anyway. "Have you ever considered returning to Portugal? Seeing where you come from could do you good..." Mae smiled warmly at him. Now that they were actually holding hands, they did sort of look like a couple. "If you do go there... Would you mind taking me with you?" A sort of random question, but seeing a new part of the world could never really be a bad thing. Plus, seeing where Sharaku came from might give her some more insight on him as a person.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Wed Aug 12, 2015 7:52 am

''Maybe so. But, I suppose that depends...'' Yes, many times, people did take things more personally than he truly meant them, but there were some occassions where he did do it moreso on purpose. And that was something else, then. ''I don't have to. At times, it's worth it, however.'' Sure, that defeated the principle, but it could be amusing to a certain extent, as long as they didn't annoy him too much.

''Even then...you can never really tell how long something will last right at the beginning...'' Which only made it harder, in a sense. You take ages to even get to the starting point, possibly, and then it just falls apart anyway. And it isn't funny. When one thinks about it, it's almost surprising why do people still keep doing this. Technically, you don't need romantic relationships exactly to keep the race going, do you? He would shake his head. ''I'm glad to even get to the feelings part. I tend to be at odds with most people I meet. That's maybe just my bad luck, though.'' He never really liked anyone beyond the normal...and he had met a lot of people up until now. Just, nothing.

Hmm. He didn't remember exactly. It was...long ago by now. ''I think...it was during a fight? But it was long ago, so I'm not sure. They seem to have some sort of ability that makes them stronger for a while...and it was kind of obvious with that, as normal people don't have metal parts, no matter what they do. I think he explained afterwards. It's been months by now though.'' Well, that was the first time he remembered actually seeing him looking metallic in any way. It had to be back then, since it was obvious. He would huff a bit. ''You probably could, depending on the person...'' But then, it wouldn't be much help in deciding whether they were actually human or not, if that was your original aim. Otherwise...why would you want to do it in the first place?

He would laugh a bit. Well, she was sure into it a lot, wasn't she? Though, as long as she didn't push him around too much, he didn't mind the enthusiasm. It was somewhat amusing to see. That, and it was an interesting change from before. ''Just don't overdo it. Wouldn't want to burn out, would you?'', he would smirk a little. Giving it all could backfire eventually, if that was all she did. If it was to work, then it would as long as she wasn't completely slacking on everything. Having to work too hard didn't really mean being happy, did it?

Right. ''Sometimes I'm not sure whether that word even exists in my dictionary.'' Relax. When did he really do that? Almost never. On the other hand, it was something he was used to already, so it wasn't that bad. He just dealt with it in his own way. ''I know it isn't...It's just...Ah, nevermind.'', he would shake his head eventually. Yes, it wasn't simple. It was sort of a habit by now, though. Considering how Shun generally expected him to say something that did not seem like he didn't care. That, and he wasn't too fond of flailing about either. Made things feel even more awkward than they normally are. ''Of course not. It's not that it matters too much. I just wouldn't want you to have to be here if you didn't really want to.'', he'd attempt to explain with a huff. Ah well. ''I possibly could, if I really wanted to. But if I did, it wouldn't be more than a vacation, perhaps.'' It wasn't as if he had any reason to stay there for long. Sure, it was where he came from, but he didn't have anything left there anymore. He would look at her with a slightly raised eyebrow. Now that, he had not expected. ''Well....it wouldn't really be a problem..? Though, you wouldn't have it easy getting around as you don't speak the language.'', he would poke at her a bit. Sure, some people spoke English, but it wasn't guaranteed, and those who did were not always that decent.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Wed Aug 12, 2015 8:36 am

"Well... Is it? I guess it all depends on the situation..." If people were really spiteful however, could it even be worth it? Up to personal preference... After all, everyone had different thresholds on how much they could handle before caving under.

"It is a balance-act in every sense of the word... That, and both parts need to have some sort of chemistry to begin with." Mae huffed lightly. There were of course more factors playing in a relationship than just that... but those were too many to count. And not all of them were relevant to every couple. "Hm? We seem to be getting along just fine. At least, that's the impression I get." How would he react once she told him about her feelings though? Hopefully he would take it well...

"Ah... Alright. That makes sense." Mae nodded, thinking a bit about what he had said to her previously. "Was that back when all of this... started, by any chance?" She was a bit curious if she was right... She could connect the two. Whether it was true or not remained to be seen though. "Hehe, yeah. This stuff isn't easy for any of us." Some just had it less or more difficult with emotions. There was no-one really who could claim to be an expert regarding this... The closest you'd get to that would be a Shrink... But even they ran into snags every now and again, like everyone else. Why would they be an exception?

"Hehe, I'll try not to. I just don't want this to fall apart..." A very real concern on her part. So far, neither of them had kept a relationship of this nature alive for very long... But hopefully both of them had learned of their mistakes. "I suppose we should take things a bit slow, eh? No need to rush anything." She was a bit curious to see if he would take her out somewhere... Like the movies or something... Probably not the movies, actually... But a nice resturant or a day at the theme-park would've been something. Mae was undeniably looking forward to it. If something like that would ever happen, of course. "I... Just want us both to be happy with this, that's all..." She would most likely be happy with it. The question was... would Sharaku be happy with her?

"Hm? Is there something bothering you?" Mae asked when Sharaku had stopped himself mid-sentence. What was that about? It wasn't anything wrong about her, was there? Mae was probably just overthinking things, but a part of her couldn't let go of that feeling, no matter how much she wanted to. "Hehe. A-As long as I'm with you... I'm okay with anything..." Mae's cheeks lit up a bit, as she looked at Sharaku. "A vacation huh? That's reasonable. You don't really have much left there anyway, do you?" Did he? Regardless, a vacation is still something. "Hehe. That's nice to hear. Although I'm not sure how far off that would be in the future. And I think I would be able to get around there just fine. After all, I have you to translate things for me..." A trip to Portugal with Sharaku huh... Maybe sometime in the future that could happen. Assuming that their relationship ended up working out.

Subject: Re: A Walk in the Park [Sharaku] Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:16 am

Sharaku would shrug vaguely. ''If anything, I can at least annoy them. That way, they'll leave themselves.'' He didn't make a point of avoiding people even when he didn't particularly like them. When they wanted to keep being a pain to him, he could just use it against them most of the time. And if they actually pissed him off to the point where he snapped? Well, even worse for them, in all honesty. Just because he did not enjoy arguments by base didn't mean he wasn't capable of getting amusement out of it under certain conditions. It varied.

He would roll his eyes a bit. Maybe it would be better to just not talk about that right now. ''Right. Though, I think I'd rather not dissect it too much. Listing it only makes it sound more like a headache. Experience is probably more useful than the theory anyway.'' Frankly, talking about what all it took was not exactly very motivational. Besides, he kind of knew that already anyway, so if he really wanted, he could recall stuff. ''I know we are. I meant it as a general majority, not completely everyone.'' There were some people he was on good terms with, so he couldn't say everyone. It was just more often than not.

''Not exactly. But it wasn't very long after.'', he'd answer casually. He wasn't sure why she wanted to know when did it happen. But...it wasn't as if that was a secret or anything by now. ''It's not, y es...Sometimes, it makes you wonder what is the point of it being hard.'' Almost as if life didn't really want people to coexist together happily. Not without twists and turns just because. Then again, having everything be too easy was not a solution either, because with that, no one would work for what they have at all. He would hum a bit. ''I can see that. But if something is meant to fall apart...it's usually better to let it, rather than struggle uselessly. That just causes more pain. Let's just see how it works for now, no? No need to take precautions too early.'', he would give her a laidback smile. She didn't need to get worried already. That wouldn't help it, would it now? He figured both of them had enough worrying with the previous tries just a while ago.

''Middle road, perhaps. Neither very slow nor fast is probably a good idea. Though...I think it depends on circumistance. It probably works differently for every relationship.'' Rushing was generally not good, yes...but maybe it could work if both sides were fine with it at the moment? There was no clear saying. In the end, too many boundaries were not that useful. He would laugh a bit. ''Would analyzing almost every possible step make us happy? It'll go however it'll go, I'd say.'' Overthinking was not really what he wanted to do with this. It hurt your brain. Only when it was actually necessary...otherwise it was just work on top that was not even needed.

He would snort. ''Yes. I am bothering myself. Don't worry about that.'' As a matter of fact, it was true. The only thing that he was actually bothered about were his own thoughts at this point. But you can't stop your mind from going against you sometimes, can you? ''Alright. I'll take that.'', he would chuckle a bit. If that's how she thought. As long as she wasn't upset. ''Well, no, I don't. I haven't been there for 15 years, afterall. And technically...the part I used to lived in was kind of a tourist destination anyway.'' Who wouldn't like pretty beaches, right? ''Definitely at least after this mess ends, I guess. And..I think I'd have to anyway. People with accents are a pain to understand. But...do you plan to cling to me all the time so I can translate for you..?'', he'd inquire, poking at her a little bit. ''Speaking of vacations and such...did your friend go back to Japan already?'', he'd ask afterwards. He was a little curious, as nosy as the blackhaired girl was.

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