[AQ] Where Are You Now? [Demi/Shun][DONE]

[Demi]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Cancelled plans

+ Description: You were supposed to be somewhere - be it an extra class, an outing with friends, a dinner with family or maybe even a blind date - but it got (or they) cancelled! Now you have all this free time you don't know what to do with.
+ Return home to spend the day away with yourself: +1 Guardians, -1 Faberge, +1 Roost
+ Go somewhere else; maybe the park or downtown: +2 Faberge, +1 Roost
+ Call someone else to make some new plans with them: +2 Guardians, +1 Faberge
+ Visit someone, be it a family member or a friend: +2 Faberge, -1 Roost
+ Requirements: None
+ Submitted by Yukari

---

The fish on her phone background were so cute... but that's not what she wanted to look at when she pulled her phone out. She had originally signed up for an extra class, but it got cancelled last second, so she'd made her way to the park instead, chilling out under some trees.

Pulling up her messaging system, she typed out a text to one of her friends, Shun! "Hey Shun- are you busy? Do you want to hang out in the park with me? Or study with me or something?" She figured she may as well try and be friendly... she needed someone to hang out with that didn't make her head fuzzy or make her want to scream... so Shun was the obvious choice in this matter.

 While she waited for the reply from Shun, she opened up Neko Atsume... she'd refilled the food recently and wanted to see if her favorite cat showed up again. All of this was honestly more of a distraction than anything... a distraction from everything. Shun would make a good distraction, he was a good guy... plus with his personality, he was always a whirlwind and it would be good for Demi.

@shunhunny

[Deleted]

So what would he do today? Practice was over early, but he would eventually have to show up again for some more work tomorrow. Well, best to enjoy the day. But it gets weird when now he has what they call an 'agent' working with him now. And now that he has actual use for Leo's scheduling, he's starting to be more organized with his life. Another drastic change in his life. But he supposed that taking a break is also necessary, even though if he meets Leo, he'll be subjected to more work. Better find an excuse. And find it FAST.

Perfect timing as ever, his phone buzzed with a new message. He opened to check out the message. Oh, it's Demi. He hasn't really seen her much since the rockband game appeared at the arcade. You know, when he still had a head full of hair. Ugh. No use remembering that now. "Sure thing, just give me a couple of minutes to get there." Well, it's off to the park for him. More like a 'get out of jail' free card. Serious business to meet with friends. Leo will have to understand.

When he got there, he looked around for Demi. The park is always a nice place. After all, this is where everything started. Once he spots her, he wasn't sure if she'd recognize him at all now, so he had to 'calmly' say hi. And make sure she doesn't think she's talking to a stranger. "Nanjou-san, hello!" Oh gods, being polite with the surnames and honorifics is still tough for him to get used to.

[Demi]

Getting the reply text made her feel a little bit better. At least she wouldn't be alone. She wondered when exactly that she started disliking being alone... weird. Pushing those thoughts out of her head, she closed her eyes and rested against the tree quietly, waiting for Shun to arrive.

When he did, she heard her last name, opening her eyes and looking to see her-- whoa. He'd changed. "Shun-- you cut your hair." She noted aloud, surprised, but in a good way. "You look good. Why the change?" She couldn't help but be curious... I mean, not that long ago he'd had a ton of hair... and now he had an undercut. It was... certainly different. Not bad or anything, just different.

Pushing herself up from the ground, she dusted off her shorts and legs. "Thanks for coming out here, I wasn't sure if you'd be busy or anything..." She pocketed her hands, relaxing one leg a bit. She tapped her toes on the ground below. "I'm glad you were free, though... at least I hope you were...?"

She'd definitely grown more talkative... and without Hiro around, she felt a lot better... and seemed a lot nicer, too. She even stopped with the honorifics.

[Deleted]

"Ah yeah. I...During the trip, someone set my hair on fire. I had to adjust." He guessed it's fine to tell Demi about it. "It was an accident though??" He had to make that clear. He knew that his friends wouldn't like hearing the news that he got bullied continuously, even during the trip. "And I had a makeover at Faberge. Idol training and all that stuff." Yeah, a lot of things changed since then. Rapidly. "But thanks!" Don't forget to say thank you to compliments, right?

"Nope, not busy. Practice ended early for me." Well, just for today, that is. "So, how've you been doing?" It's been a while. He's sure she'd probably have a bunch more to talk about. Demi always stood out as the type who usually has friends even without trying. More assumptions, he guesses. But then he looked at her and back to himself. Sure, growing only an inch taller to 5'3" would usually mean nothing to most people, but he is so distraught by this and seem to notice the small things people don't. Such as where his eye level would be when placed in front of someone else. Oh, it made him cringe.

"OH MY GOD I CAN'T." He said, after he looked at the tree beside them. He remembered clearly that one time, when he was alone, he marked this tree with a line. He is now clearly taller than the line by a bit. "CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD IS THAT CRUEL?" He pointed at the line on the tree. Oh, he can't keep up being the 'calm and cool' image he had any longer. "It's a nightmare..."

[Demi]

She blinked. "Someone set your hair on fire??" How the hell did THAT happen? Even accidentally. "Jeez-- well, you look nice, so... I guess it's a plus?" She wasn't sure how someone's hair being set on fire could turn into a plus, but here he was, living, breathing proof.

"Ah. I've been... fine, thanks." She decided after a moment. She was about to say something else, but he made an exclamation and she was startled, though it was hard to tell on the outside. "What-?" She glanced to the line that was on the tree. "What do you mean?" She looked to the line again, as if it would tell her some hidden secret or something.

"What's a nightmare?" She glanced back to Shun. She hadn't noticed him growing any taller... he was still short compared to her, so.

[Deleted]

"They waved a burning marshmallow around and set things on fire. Including my hair. But he did pay for my haircut and made sure it looked good." Though he still wouldn't come near them and some fire for a while.

"I got taller, look. See that line? I got taller than that line." He isn't sure that he was supposed to mark the tree anyway. But other people have been doing it on other park trees. Things like 'Hana<3Tatsu' or some other stuff like that. "Oh come on. I told the gods that I will embrace the natural self and he made me taller like what up, god? What gives?" Maybe if he stuck to just 'want to be cute' without embracing the other things, he would have stayed tiny.

"Next thing you know it'll be a horrible growth spurt." Maybe it's partially due to the fact that he's definitely living a better life and eating better food to maintain himself more properly. He's been exercising a lot too, utilizing the pools the most. "Okay, okay. Stay calm, I'm only 5'3." He took a deep breath before trying to keep his calm again. "Sorry, what did you want to say?" He at least noticed that she was about to continue to say something but didn't because of his outburst.

[Demi]

Demi stared for a moment at Shun in disbelief. How does someone set things on fire with... a marshmallow. Who could be that careless? Jeez. "Well, at least he paid for the haircut." That was a plus, supposedly... it was better than setting his hair on fire and NOT paying for a haircut.

Demi glanced from the line to Shun's head. Reaching out, she put her hand atop Shun's head to smush his hair down a bit. "Huh, guess you have grown a little..." She mused aloud. "I still don't know why you think it's so horrible to get taller. And, just.... so you know... guys usually hit their growth spurt around 17 to 19 years of age... so, you're right in your prime for getting taller."

When asked what she was going to say, she blinked. "Oh, nothing important." She waved a hand. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to go with me to get some drinks or something... there's a smoothie place nearby that I've been wanting to try..." She pocketed her hands, or rather, her fingers... because everyone knows that girls' pants' pockets are insanely tiny... as if those with wide hips have no reason for pockets that can fit their phones or various other items.

[Deleted]

"If he didn't, I would've been walking around school with a bald spot on the back of my head." He sighed. There's no way he wants to be picked on for that. "I already have a problem with bullies, I think it'd be more difficult with a blemish like that one." Well, at least it's died down a bit. That's a little benefit of changing images and having people look after him.

"I CAN'T grow taller. I mean..." Why can't he? She did have a point. Tall people can look cute too. But he is just so anti looking tall. "W-well...I guess I like to look up to people, literally. I guess? I don't know how I'd feel if it's the other way around. Ugh. So uncute." How does that even make any sense at all, anyway?

"Oh sure! I should probably pay for both smoothies this time?" He's got a bit of extra pocket money from doing things here and there anyway. "I still don't feel like I've really got to pay you back for before. That's how it works right? You pay people back?" Well, someone told him that he should. Just a general rule of no mooching around.

[Demi]

Demi frowned a bit. "Okay, fair point." He did have a very fair point... nobody would want bald spots. "I mean, though, even if he didn't pay for the haircut, you'd still get one." Even if Demi had to pay for one for him... she'd do it, too... she hated bullies, she'd do it just to help Shun... plus, he's her friend, so, I mean.

"Speaking from experience... being tall isn't THAT bad..." Then again, she's always had the worst time being tall... she was made fun of for the longest time by everyone. Funny, since she came to Seiyo, she's hardly been made fun of at all... at least, for her height anyway. A few people have poked fun at her, but not that many. Weird.

She glanced to Shun for a moment. "You don't owe me anything..." She shook her head. "I can pay for my own smoothie, but thanks for the offer, I guess." She gave him a light shrug. "C'mon, let's go." She started walking. Probably best that he got away from the tree anyway, so he wouldn't be reminded that he grew like... an inch. She really figured he'd just... get taller from here... no need to remind him of that though if he was so upset about it.

[Deleted]

"I don't think I would have got a haircut if he didn't pay, money isn't really my strong suit." Money and luck. But he never really braced for the inevitable. "I did tell him that I would take his hair as an offering if he didn't. I mean, I'd get him to cut off that ponytail of his and then some. If he wants me to wear a wig, it should be made off his own hair. Because of what he did." He wondered why the guy suddenly shuddered at the thought. Threats made by Iwajima Shun usually held no water. To be fair, he did look incredibly pissed off. For once, his face wasn't one of an angry teletubby, and it was enough to give someone a run for their lives. All that over hair. Well, looks are incredibly important to him anyway.

"I can't see myself being tall. I just can't." Maybe there's more to this phobia of tall he has. But either way, he doesn't really know. "No? Well, I'll just pay for myself as well, then. Right, I guess we should get going." No use sticking around the reminder of his bad luck and generally horrible growth.

[Demi]

Ponytail? "Who was it that burnt your hair?" She asked curiously, wondering if she knew the guy. She knew of a couple of guys with ponytails off the top of her head. And one didn't really keep his hair tied up usually, so.

"Hmm... well, maybe you'll stay short?" She shrugged a bit. "And... yep, let's go." She wanted a mango flavored smoothie... mango and peach. Tropical smoothie just sounded like it would really hit the spot for her. As she walked, she thought a bit to herself, glancing over to Shun, studying his new haircut. It didn't seem like it fit him all that well, but maybe that's because she was still remembering him as the annoying little pest who took selfies without asking. Funny, she hadn't seen him taking any selfies recently.

[Deleted]

"Ji Soo. My dance club captain. Though I guess we're cool now. Yeah. We're cool." He crossed his arms. "I can't actually stay mad at the guy forever anyway. We hang out a few times and he's great." But he was pissed that his hair was burnt. Though that one school trip really got him more cautious around the guy and fire. "I had to go home in an animal hoodie. That was cute. But hiding a bald spot wasn't."

"I thought about wanting a campfire shake, but campfires are dangerous now." He probably won't ever come out if someone called him around a campfire. Especially not if Ji Soo is around. "Maybe chocolate shake is better. Nevermind. Strawberry smoothie. But I kind of want something sweet? Oh my god. Decisions are so hard to make. I think I'll make a final one when we get there." He raised a brow when he noticed that she's looking at him. "D-don't tell me. I missed a spot. I missed it. Right? Should I whine to the hair stylist?" Oh man, he noticed more that she's looking more at his hair than anything. It would be embarrassing for him to walk around for days and missed a spot.

[Demi]

She blinked. "Oh, Ji Soo is the archery club captain, too." She didn't realize he was club captain of the dance club, too. The more you know. "I haven't actually gotten to hang out with him yet... but he's a cool guy from what I can tell..." She shrugged lightly.

"I'm going to get a tropical smoothie... probably mango and something... pineapple or peach or something with it?" She mused a bit. "I'll figure it out when we get there." They were fast approaching though, so she had to think and think fast.

As he asked if he'd missed a spot, she blinked, realizing she'd been kind of staring. "What- no you're fine- sorry... I just kind of got lost in thought, that's all. If you had missed a spot, I'd have told you about it. It's just... the hairstyle is new, that's all... I was thinking about it." She gave a light shrug.

[Deleted]

"He is a legit cool guy. But you don't mess ever mess with my hair like that. But it was unintentional. But still..." Coming from him in this new look, there is some weight to what he said. He does look somewhat tougher in it. But what can you do when you're only trying to cover up a mistake?

"Okay? Well I guess, from what I tell people, it doesn't really suit me, does it?" He observed that much. Inside, he's still the same old guy. But maybe now he has more of a grip on reality and can think about things without so much panic. Plus, he hasn't really taken too many selfies these days. Why is that? He doesn't quite know himself. Maybe he's changing. Or maybe lately he found it less interesting to take pictures of himself and making himself look like something he isn't than to actually improve as a person.

"So what else have you been up to? You don't look like the type of person who didn't find themselves in something interesting." Might as well ask about it. It's hard to talk to people you haven't seen in a while and start anything without first asking about how their days went.

[Demi]

She listened to him, kind of amused at his back and forth with himself. "Fair enough." SHe nodded lightly.

"Well, hmm.... it's not that it doesn't suit you so much as... it's just new and a little different from the way you normally look, so I guess it'll just... take some getting used to? That's all." She shrugged lightly, fiddling with her clothing a bit as she moved along.

"Uh-- not much, really. I've been hanging out with Ai a lot...?" She thought about that for a few moments. "And I gained a roommate..." Those were both interesting things, she thought. "Ummm..." Not too much was really new with her. "I'm just getting through life, I suppose. What about you? What else is new with you?" Besides his hair cut that is.