Devillic Log: Kaiya is Very Popular
Hearing Takuya talk about it as damage control is a little disheartening, with Naoto following up with, "Oh so, I guess it wouldn't be ok to go hang out in a cafe together then...?" He had kind of wanted to, to get to know Kaiya's friends better. Sure, he knew why they couldn't meet Kaiya's friends but had always seemed to be kind of sad that they couldn't. But if Takuya says it's a bad idea, he'll just go to the cafe with Kaiya only.
"Pink does suit him very well," Mariko agrees, and it makes her happy deep down to know that pink was his choice, and not just some band thing or trendy idea. Even if she definitely likes the current, more polished style better. She is dying to ask questions about Setsuna auditioning, but also trying to be respectful. It's probably obvious to her friends that she's biting her tongue, but she really doesn't want to over step the boundaries. And she doesn't know where they are, right now. "Thank you for sharing these pictures with us, Kaiya-chan." She says, as she reaches the end and passes the phone back.
"Hmm?" Takuya replied, thankfully actually still listening, rather than planning various ways things could go in the next few days. "Oh, no, that would be fine. After all, you're not dating any of them, and that's an easy thing to deny because it's true." The band leader responded, since the 'damage control' was all about the whole 'fans disliking idols having partners' thing. Naoto hanging out with girls at cafes was not an abnormal thing, and should not start any rumours at all. "Actually, it might be good for you to hang out with them right now: let them be all star struck and fangirly, and not feel the need to spread the gossip they have. If they think staying quiet will allow them to hang out with you in the future, it might actually be a help." Yes, he was being a little calculated about all this, but their band had only *just* got around a scandal with their last vocalist. They did *not* need something like this leaking just before summer festivals.
"I think so too!" Kaiya agreed brightly. She accepted her phone back and put it away with a smile for the thanks. "Maybe another time I can show you guys some others." She offered. She couldn't now because even *she* knew she was going to have to tell her boyfriend *and* his band leader about all of this before she even *dreamed* of sharing any photos that were even close to unprofessional of Setsuna. Actually.... maybe that was who Naoto was calling? Takuya?
Akari was thrilled with the pictures they'd been allowed to see, of course, but maybe getting to see more? And maybe, just maybe, ones of the rest of the band? Like Belial? Oh yes, she was very, very excited for that. "Yes, thank you for sharing those, Kaiya-chan. They were really nice, and it's nice to see Setsuna so relaxed and out of character!"
Naoto doesn't quite get all the calculations going on, but he does feel like defending them some, "They haven't been all star-struck and fangirly. They've been nice and helpful. I want to go to the cafe with them because they're Kaiya-chan's friends, and I couldn't get to know them before, but now it's like, maybe I can? Cuz they know anyways?"
"If it's ok," Mariko replies, understanding that the current situation is kind of tenuous. She just hopes that, even if the band decides to clamp down on everything, that Kaiya can still hang out with them.
While Takuya certainly believed his youngest bandmate's observations, he also knew that Naoto could be a bit naive. So, while he was sure that the girls weren't fangirling all over the violinist right now while he was there, the drummer wasn't so sure that would stay true once they were with their other friends. "Well, I have no reason for you not to go with them to a cafe." He reiterated, not restating his thoughts about reporting back on what these friends might say or do. He could still ask about the outing later, and also ask Kaiya as well. After all, he was going to have to talk to her and Setsuna about all this rather soon anyway. "Have fun?" He added, hoping that would be a strong enough answer for the violinist.
Kaiya smiled at Mariko's understanding words, then, because Naoto still hadn't returned, she asked, "So... are you guys excited for the summer festivals?" Thankfully, the lineups for some of the ones Devillic were going to be playing had been announced, so she wasn't hitting her friends with surprise knowledge just yet.
Akari grinned at the question. "I've already put in requests at work for days off for the first two." She admitted, though this probably wasn't at all surprising.
Naoto has a slight pout, which Takuya of course cannot see, since he feels some kind of way about Takuya's guarded responses, but he also trusts his band leader. "Ok. So, yeah, I'm going to go. Thank you, Takuya-san. Sorry for interrupting, I guess I'll talk to you later?" he says, since it sounded like the call was over and he wants to be polite. Then he heads back to join the girls.
"Me too~" Mariko agrees excitedly. She's also been looking into accommodations because she is not a girl who wants to camp out. "There are some other bands I like that will be there too, so it's all win-win for me."
Honestly, Takuya hadn't meant to sound guarded or defensive, he was just thinking very seriously about possible repercussions and how to mitigate them. He really didn't see any harm at all in Naoto hanging out with Kaiya and her friends, and wouldn't have minded at all without the revelation that they had made the connection between Kaiya and their vocalist dating. "No no, you weren't interrupting at all. I'm happy you called, Naoto-kun. And yes, of course, I'll talk to you later. Goodbye!" He ended with a slight smile before hanging up and immediately calling Yamato, needing his boyfriend's thoughts and calming influence on this situation while he talked it out, out loud, before involving the actual couple (one of which can't even participate at the moment anyway).
"Nice! Want to go together?" Akari asked her older friend, thinking this was almost a foregone conclusion, but still thinking it polite to ask. "What about you, Kaiya-chan? Are you able to go?" She was aware that the younger girl was still in school, so she might not be willing to take the time off.
Seeing Naoto returning, Kaiya smiled at him before answering, "I'm hoping to go to the first one, since their performance is on the Saturday, but I think I'll have to miss the second one." She admitted. Also, the first was much closer to home, while the second was further away.
"Sure~" Mariko responds easily, perfectly happy to share a room to save money on the room price, and Akari being someone she's willing to do that with. She actually consciously fights the little thrill feeling of Naoto returning, wanting to do her best to treat him as a usual person. She nods, since Kaiya's plan makes sense, "I really hope you can go." She leaves unsaid that it's going to be Setsuna's first 'real' concert.
"Um, does anyone know any fun cafes around here?" Naoto asks, since that was part of the whole reason he'd gone to chat with Takuya.
"Yay!" Akari enthused, already knowing from past concerts that this meant she could count on her friend to find them accommodations and just have to pay her half. Yes, it might be a little opportunistic, but she *hated* looking for good places to stay for a decent price, not too far from the venue. There had been times she hated it so much she actually camped out instead. Not the most fun experience, but an experience nonetheless. Actually, that had been how she'd met Himeko-chan and Fumiko-chan. Being young, they'd wanted the 'full experience' as they'd called it. Apparently Himeko's brother had convinced her that camping out was what *true* fans did. The pair still camped out whenever they could, but Akari was far happier having an actual bed, whether she got her own, or had to share. When Naoto joined them, she couldn't help but show her excitement with her smile. "There are a few nice ones down the way. I've only been in a couple before, but I'm sure we can find something fun or cute!" She insisted.
Kaiya smiled at Mariko's hopeful response, understanding implicitly why the older girl was providing her well-wishes. "Thanks, Fujita-san!" She said, then shrugged at Naoto's question. She didn't normally come here to look for cafes, after all. Thankfully, it sounded like her friends might have some ideas.
Mariko likes the idea of camping, especially for the money savings, but she is old enough to know and accept herself, and she knows that she is just *not* that girl. She doesn't mind Akari 'taking advantage' of her finding accomodations -- she'd be paying for it either way, so this way she just has to pay half. It's win-win, really. Her memory of the exact location is a bit fuzzy, so she asks Akari, "Isn't that like... super floral cafe near here?"
Naoto is happy to let the girls who are more familiar with the area find them a cafe. This isn't his neck of the woods - in shibuya or harajuku he knows lots of options.
Akari's head tilted, sending the ends of her razor-straight hair swinging gently, as she considered her friend's question. "I think you're right... and it should be really nice right now, with all the flowers in bloom~" She agreed. "I think it's on this street? If not, maybe the next one over?" She suggested, wishing she could remember the name of the place so she could just look it up. Deciding 'what the heck', she got out her phone and googled 'super flowery cafe' and their location, and laughed. "Okay, so there are two: Nomu and The Flower Market. I'm pretty sure I was envisioning the Market, but which one did you mean, Mariko-san?" She asked, holding her phone out so the older girl could look (and also Kaiya and Naoto).
Kaiya took a look at the pictures, and both cafes looked very full of plants and flowers, and both looked like they would be fun to go to and sip tea, so she was happy to go to either one.
"Ohh, they both look really cute." Naoto enthuses as he looks at the photos, feeling like he's happy to go to either one of them.
"The market was the one I was thinking of," Mariko replies, and everyone seems pretty happy with the pictures, she suggests, "shall we go there then?"
"Great!" Akari responded, already finding the location of the cafe, and seeing it was, indeed, on the street they were on, just beyond the fabric stores. "Okay~ Looks like it's not that far at all! Good thing, because I don't think a single one of us wore good walking shoes." She teased. Given that they had all already done quite a bit of walking, obviously this wasn't completely true.
Kaiya just giggled at the older girl's teasing and followed along toward the cafe. Even without GPS, they almost certainly couldn't miss their destination if it looked anything at all like the pictures.
The truth is, these *are* some of Naoto's more comfortable walking shoes. They're still not comfortable at *all*, but they're not the worst at all. He's a little surprised it's so close, but grateful, and it does make some sense to be a trendy little cafe near all the vintage shops.
"Lead the way," Mariko suggests, although truthfully it's Akari's phone leading the way. They all head over to the cafe and get in. Walking in feels like walking into a garden or a jungle and it's amazing.
When they walked into the cafe, Kaiya stared all around in amazement. The pictures had not done this place justice at all! When they took their seats (bags all tucked away), Kaiya was all smiles. "This place is beautiful! Have you been here before?" She asked her two friends, though it had sort of seemed like they'd just seen it, not actually been in.
Akari shook her head with a smile of her own and put her phone away. "No! I've walked past a couple of times, but never actually come in. I hope their tea is as good as the atmosphere", she admitted. After all, that might very well be an issue: cool-looking cafe, not so great food and drink offerings.
"I'm usually in the area by myself, and I don't really want to go to someplace as neat as this by myself. But yeah every time I walk by I'm like 'ohhh, I wanna try it," Mariko admits. At least everybody knows that it's a blind try and they don't know how good anything'll taste.
"I can't believe there are plants *in* the table," Naoto replies, feeling a little concerned that if he moved the wrong way he'd pull a leaf off of something.
Kaiya giggled happily at hearing this was going to be a new experience for all four of them. "Well, I guess we'll just have to find out how it is together!" She said, before starting to look over the menu. It didn't seem to be an extensive menu, but with insight from her chef boyfriend, she understood that could actually be a good thing. Fewer items could mean fresher ingredients and more expertise in making those particular things. That said, she immediately gravitated toward the flower parfait. She wasn't sure they were going to get food, though, and she didn't want to be the only one to do so, so she took her wandering eyes back to the available teas. To her delight, she noticed most mentioned pretty flowers or petals being part of the teas, so she was pretty sure the teas would come in clear pots so they could enjoy the flowers inside them as well.
Akari, meanwhile, ignored the menu at first in an attempt to make a connection with Uriel. "It really is surprising, right? When I saw the pictures, I thought there were only flowers *on* the tables, and around the cafe, but it's really neat having them *in* the tables too!"
"I never would have imagined that someone even could do this," Naoto admits. Like the logistics of putting a plant in a glass table isn't that hard, but CARING for that plant and keeping it looking gorgeous seems complicated. But he definitely loves a theme, especially one taken to the extreme. That's kind of how his fashion goes too, and definitely the attitude he takes towards his insta looks too.
Honestly, Mariko halfway wanted to come here as a chance to finally try it with people, and half way to just enjoy the amazing view of Uriel in this surroundings. Maybe she's not doing a good job as treating him as just a guy yet.
"It kind of makes me think of the glass tables that have live fish in them." Akari admitted, also impressed that the flowers were actually alive in there, and appeared to be well taken care of. Flowers seemed better than fish though, at least to her. They didn't need to move around quite too much. She had to think that fish must get mighty bored living in a table.
Kaiya mostly tried to stay out of the conversation, letting her friend have a chance to talk to, and maybe get to know, Naoto as a person outside of his stage persona. Instead, she decided to put in some actual effort in choosing a drink. And since Mariko hadn't jumped into the other conversation, she asked the older girl, "Have you had a chance to look at the menu yet?"
"Eh?? Fish in a table??" Naoto replies, clearly not something he'd encountered, but it sounds kind of fascinating as well. Same issue of 'how do you care for them?' comes to mind. He belatedly realizes he should take advantage of how pretty this place is by taking pictures, and gets out his phone.
"Aa, oh, not really," Mariko admits, feeling low-key caught out for enjoying the 'view', and turning to the menu. Since Kaiya had seemingly already been looking though, she asks, "Did you have anything in mind yet?"
"Yeah. Weird, right? I've only seen it once, at a high end seafood restaurant. Kind of gimmicky, honestly, but really memorable." Akari admitted, then smiled at the phone coming out. She definitely followed the man's insta, so she totally understood that he would want to take a bunch of photos. Any chance she could get one of the four of them together somehow.... maybe once they had their drinks. "Are you going to take some photos for insta?" She asked, hoping he would, even if he just posted pictures of the restaurant and his order to not give away who he had been here with.
That response made Kaiya wonder if she had intruded on her friend's internal thoughts, but since Mariko recovered quickly, the younger girl hoped it wasn't too bad. "I'm not sure whether I want to get the Refresh Blend herb tea, or maybe the rose tea.... or maybe even the sweet earl grey. They all sound so nice! But... the thing that got my attention right away was the flower parfait~" She admitted.
"At a seafood restaurant?" Naoto went from being charmed by the idea to mildly horrified immediately. Fish in a table, cute. Fish in a table watching you as you eat fish? hard no. "Hmm, right now I mostly want to take pictures for myself." Naoto doesn't usually do a lot of photos of food or whatnot on his insta. He thinks that's not really what people are coming for, "But maybe someone could take a picture of me standing by that ... wall?" Is it a wall if it's made entirely of greenery? "And I could post that to insta?" Definitely not posting that until he gets home, or maybe even til tomorrow. Don't post things that give away where you are, after all.
Mariko looks at the menu in Kaiya's hands to see the girl point things out. There were a lot of tea options, so she'll need to think about what to drink. And then she falls in love with that parfait as well, "Do you want to split one?"
"Uh huh. Weird, right? I mean, the fish in the table were not fish you would ever eat, but still weird to have fish swimming around under your plate of fish, right?" Akari insisted. Honestly, she wasn't sure that fish in a table would ever be a good thing anywhere, but it was both gimmicky and strange in that situation. She nodded along with the idea that Uriel was more likely to do photos just for himself here, but couldn't help but brighten at the idea of the violinist having his picture taken against a backdrop of all that greenery. "Oh, I bet that would look really cool!" She enthused, then volunteered, "I'm sure one of us could take it for you, if you wanted." Better than a selfie, right?
That offer made Kaiya's eyes widen in delight. "Oh! That would be perfect!" She responded, thinking that it would be incredibly decadent to get one all to herself, but splitting one would be just about perfect.
"I think I would be too embarrassed to eat in front of them...." Naoto admits. After all the fish are all kind of like the same family, or tribe right? So yeah he thinks that sounds super weird. He definitely wants to take some pictures to show Kenta, and gets a sweet smile hearing a devillic fan agreeing that a photo of him with this place as a backdrop would be nice, "Yeah... especially since I often have to take selfies? So when I have a chance to get someone to do it for me, for variety, I really like to do so?"
"Absolutely. A whole one seems like it would be a bit much, right?" Mariko replies, being just as interested in the dessert as Kaiya but also didn't think she could eat a whole one on her own.
Oh, Uriel was sooooo cute, saying something like that! Akari was so not going to mention that tons of fish eat other fish and ruin that adorable innocence. Instead, she just nodded in agreement and moved on. "Yeah, I've noticed there are a lot of selfies on your insta, but sometimes there are full-length, or just not selfies, and those are fun for a change of pace." She admitted, not thinking it would be weird to admit she looked at his insta. That should be obvious, being a fan of Devillic, and all, right? "I'm sure any of us would be willing to take some for you too, so you don't have to worry about that.
Kaiya nodded with a smile for Mariko. "Mhm! It really does. I liked the idea of it immediately, but it did seem like a bit much just for me." She admitted, especially since she was trying to watch what she ate just a little. She knew that Mikoto was certain her change in weight was due to an incoming growth spurt, but that didn't mean she should jinx it by eating a bunch of sweets.
Naoto takes her looking at his insta fully in stride -- it does make sense, after all, and he's pretty sure Kaiya follows him too, "Yeah... selfies are easiest -- and sometimes if I'm doing a makeup look just for insta I'm not really putting on a full look to go with it. And if it was full length, it's hard to see the details in the makeup, right?" At least that's what he thinks. He uses his phone, set to selfie mode, to check his hair, "Maybe it's better to take photos before we eat or drink?"
"Then, let's do that," Mariko agrees, clapping her hands together once as a gesture showing it's decided. Then she looks back to the other two, chatting away, and admits, "That said, I don't think our comrades have so much as looked at the menu yet..."
Akari nodded along in understanding. "That makes sense. When I post pictures of my hair or makeup, it's often selfies of me for the same reason." She admitted. "I'm guilty of the food posts thing, though." She continued, not sounding at all embarrassed by this, though. When Uriel brought up doing photos now, though, she eagerly agreed, "Oh yeah, that's probably a good idea. Did you want me to take them, or...?" She offered, hoping he would say yes, but not really expecting him to. He'd probably feel most comfortable with Kaiya handling his phone, honestly.
"Yay!" Kaiya replied. Now she just needed to choose a drink to go with it. However, when Mariko brought up what Naoto and Akari were doing, she glanced over at them. "Yeah... looks like not. Have you guys chosen what you want already?" She asked, figuring they might have chosen immediately, *then* gotten distracted.
"Aa, I don't think there's anything wrong with food posts," Naoto hastens to add, since he wasn't trying to insult, "I'm just... I guess I'm targeting makeup stuff? like as a brand? so I feel like people might not be as interested in food stuff. And I don't want someone to go 'oh, he eats there a lot' or something..." He's had a lot of media training and safety beat into him by his (understandably) concerned sempai. Including phone safety, so he definitely admits, "I'll probably ask Kaiya-chan... Oh." It's about then that the other two ask them. He shakes his head, since they had not at all looked at the menu.
"Oh, that definitely makes sense, especially since it's related to your band work." Akari agreed, understanding his stance on things a little better now. His response about the picture taking was, honestly, not surprising. She'd hoped, but not really believed that she'd get to actually touch Uriel's own phone. Not like she wanted to touch it and never wash her hand again, or anything, it would just be kind of magical somehow. She nodded, though, in understanding, but turning her attention to Kaiya's question. "Oh! We haven't even looked at the menu yet! Uriel wanted to take some pictures before eating, though?"
Kaiya couldn't help but giggle lightly at the admission that the other two hadn't even looked yet, but having heard her name right around when she was asking her question, she asked, "Were you wanting me to take them?" Her question obviously directed at Naoto.
"Yes please, if you wouldn't mind, Kaiya-chan," Naoto asks politely, despite them being friends. It's just kind of how he is. He's only really comfortable giving his phone to someone he knows ESPECIALLY since he has a boyfriend and that must be kept secret - but he could receive a random text from Kenta at any point, honestly. He passes her his phone, and explains, "I was thinking all those plants over there would make a nice backdrop?" He points, then stands up and starts carefully checking over his clothes to make sure he's presentable.
"Honestly," Mariko replies, shaking her head -- although she doesn't blame her friend. Who would look at a menu when they could chat with Uriel, after all? She smiles hearing they're going to get to witness the man posing for photos though.
"Sure!" Kaiya agreed easily, taking Naoto's phone and standing up as well. She followed him over to the wall he was thinking of, then waited for him to pose for the photos before starting to take them.
Once Uriel was out of earshot, Akari turned to Mariko and made a face that would have matched a squeal, if it wouldn't have been too loud to actually make one. "Oh my god! Uriel is soooooo cute!" She fangirled at her friend.
"He is!" Mariko agrees immediately. He comes across more stoic on stage, so there's also a gap moe cuteness to enjoy. Quietly, she adds, "And now we get to watch him pose for photos~"
"Do I look ok?" Naoto asks Kaiya, trusting his fashionable young friend's opinion on such matters, and then he starts posing, his face immediately looking more like the Uriel the fans would be used to.
"So true~" Akari agreed, then turned subtly so she could watch the mini photoshoot going on. It was honestly impressive to watch the cute, quiet, sweet person that Uriel seemed to really be, turn into the expert professional in front of the camera.
Kaiya nodded at the question about Naoto's looks, then got the camera up and ready to take a good number of photos. She took the chance to do both full-lengths and non-full-lengths. Some were more 'Uriel-focused' and some were more about the greenery behind the violinist. When they were about halfway through, a text came through, and even the small amount that she read before it disappeared made her blush. Not that it was super dirty, but it was *quite* suggestive. She was definitely glad it wasn't one of the other girls holding Naoto's phone when that text from Kenta came through.
Naoto does keep the poses relatively simple; in the sense of looking relaxed and at ease. A comfortable vibe to go with the vegetation, but it's definitely Uriel's face (minus the usual Devillic makeup). He's very good at slipping into character. Once he's sure they've gotten at least something good, he experiments more, doing things like turn to the plants and touching the leaves gently (instead of looking at the camera), smelling a flower.
Mariko genuinely covers her mouth with her hand to remind her not to squeal. It's just amazing to witness.
Kaiya smiled at that flower smelling pose, then both moved closer and zoomed in so that she could get just the flower and Naoto's face and hand in the shot. She thought it was pretty, though she doubted it would be one that would be posted to insta. Then she stepped back again to take more pictures that weren't *so* close.
Akari just grinned shamelessly as she watched, which only got a touch more amused as she caught a glance at her friend's expression.
Worst case scenario, if he decides not to upload it to insta, he could always send it to Kenta. But Uriel had learned from band shoots that you do easy, guaranteed to work shots, and then you experiment. And most of the time the experiments won't work out, but sometimes when they do it's magic. Finally unable to immediately think of another pose, he decides that's enough. For the fan girls watching, it's almost like a bubble bursting - the expression change as Uriel becomes Naoto somehow noticeable despite also being subtle. He heads over to Kaiya, "How'd it go?"
When Naoto approached her after he was finished posing, Kaiya held his phone out to him. "I think we got some really good ones~ Also... a rather... personal text came through while I was taking the pictures..." She told him, half warning and half informing. Her cheeks warmed again just thinking about what she had read. "Make sure you don't read it around the other girls." She advised, not wanting them to possibly see it. Also, she wasn't sure how embarrassed such a text would make the violinist.
Naoto blushes at the IDEA of what kind of text Kaiya probably saw, and nods, since reading that in public isn't something he wants to do at all! He accepts his phone back, almost scared to even look at the photos -- luckily he has a decent excuse since they haven't ordered yet. "Can I see a menu? We should order so they don't get mad at us just hanging out?"
Kaiya happily headed back to the table, then handed over the menu she'd had to Naoto once they were seated. "Here you go. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to get." She smiled at Naoto's thoughts about people getting mad at them. She was pretty sure that anyone watching that little photoshoot they'd just done would assume that Naoto was *at least* big on insta and that he might give the cafe a boost in sales from advertising them to his followers. No way anyone working here was going to be rude to him, just in case.
It was at that moment that Akari realised *she* hadn't chosen what to get either. She'd been so engrossed in first talking to Uriel, then watching him pose, that she hadn't even thought about that. "Oh! I should look too!"
Mariko giggles at her friend realizing she hadn't looked yet, and passes her her menu since she had decided already. That said, she also totally understands.
Naoto has immediate consternation looking at the menu. The idea of floral teas that come in little glass teapots where you can see the flowers is so adorable it makes him just want all of them. And like do you get one because you want to see the flowers or because you think it'll taste the best? "...what is everyone else getting?"
Kaiya piped up immediately, "I decided on the rose tea because it comes with roses in the teapot, *and* it says that it pairs well with the flower parfait that Fujita-san and I have decided to share~"
Akari thankfully took the offered menu and quickly looked over the options. "Oh? We're getting food too? Then I'm totally going with the french toast! And.... maybe the sweet earl grey tea? I love the idea of blue cornflower petals in it~" She decided rather quickly.
Mariko nods to Kaiya's comment, and says, "I mean, I feel like one of the options with the flower in the teapot is what it *has* to be, right? I'm going for jasmine~" It's usually her favourite, and she's curious to see if it's different/better having the flower in there.
There's something mildly shocking to Naoto about how quickly Akari had decided. He agrees with the flower tea. Like, you're in a cafe full of plants and flowers, it's definitely part of the appeal. Eventually he decides on chrysanthemum tea, and pancakes. "Ok, I think I'm ready."
"Mhm!" Kaiya agreed immediately. "If I came here again, I might try one of the herb teas, because they sounded tasty, but I just can't imagine *not* getting a flower tea at least the first time!" She enthused, then glanced over at Naoto when he announced he knew what he was getting. "What did you decide on?" She asked, curious and not willing to just wait and find out when he ordered.
Akari also nodded in agreement with her older friend, then indicated to the wait staff that they were ready to order. Even so, she was also curious what the violinist was going to get, and was glad that Kaiya had asked.
"Umm, I also wanted a floral tea, so I ordered this chrysanthemum? I don't think I've ever heard of it before, so maybe it'll be interesting? And then some pancakes..." Because worst case scenario if he doesn't love his tea, at least he'll have some nice pancakes to chase it down with.
Mariko is already getting used to the seeming base level of polite uncertainty that the violinist speaks with -- which is definitely different than the Uriel persona, but still very very cute.
"We're going to have such a pretty table with all the flower-filled teapots!" Kaiya said with gentle excitement. It was about that moment that the waitress came to take their orders, and she ordered her tea and the parfait to split.
Akari also thought the polite uncertainty was adorable, and quite unexpected compared to the stage persona. Really, it was kind of weird to compare the reality with the fabricated. How different were the other members to their real selves? When the waitress arrived, she also put in her order, but she was kind of distracted with her own thoughts about what Belial was really like.
"We will," Naoto replies with a smile. He definitely wants a picture -- more for himself and Kenta than for insta or anything. He wants to check his phone to see what Kenta texted him but ALSO doesn't want to. At least he knows the host won't think much of it if he happens to not respond for a while.
Mariko is not on the same page as Akari, but would love to speculate later.
Still thinking about the various members of Devillic and their real selves, Akari grinned at Kaiya, "You know, we should totally eat at your boyfriend's restaurant sometime~" Since she and Mariko now knew the secret about the younger girl dating Setsuna, there was no reason *not* to see him in his everyday life, right?
Kaiya was caught a little off guard by that question, but she really shouldn't have been. "Ah, I'll have to see." She replied with an apologetic smile. She hoped the older girl would understand that she couldn't promise anything until she spoke to her boyfriend at least.
Naoto blinks at the question as well, and while he'd rather not have to, he does make himself interject, "Ano... there are some things we have to run through the higher ups before we can really.... be sure where to go from here?" He suggests, hoping that's enough. He had asked permission before coming to this cafe, even!
Mariko, for one, isn't surprised to hear it. She's sure that this encounter has caused a lot of complications. She's not going to speak for Akari, exactly, but she says, "Well, for me, I'm willing to abide by whatever's asked of me, or whatever rules come down from all this. So just let me know."
Akari blushed lightly at causing obvious awkwardness from her younger friend, and for receiving a gentle, though understandable, verbal slap on the wrist from both Uriel and Mariko. "Ah! Sorry. Yeah, of course! That's completely understandable, and whatever is decided by the higher ups, of course I'll do whatever is asked. I don't want to cause any trouble." She added before bowing her head in apology.
Kaiya smiled a little at the apology, then nodded. "Of course! I'll let you know what's decided, once I know. But for now... I think it's just stay quiet about everything?" She said, glancing at Naoto for confirmation, since it did sound like he had spoken to Takuya when he had gone away before.
Naoto nods. He doesn't know what Takuya is planning for this scenario but regardless the girls keeping quiet would be for the best of the band, and the best for convincing Takuya that they might be trustworthy.
Mariko smiles at Akari's apology, and agrees, "It would be nice to get to eat as his restaurant and meet him, if that's in the cards."
Akari looked up at Kaiya and smiled, but kept her own mouth shut; as if to illustrate that she *could* keep quiet, as requested.
Kaiya smiled back at her friends, glad that everything seemed to be okay, and they understood. "I'd like that too, if we can." She admitted, since it had been very hard not introducing her boyfriend to her friends.
"I bet!" Mariko replies, amused. IMAGINE having a boyfriend that hot and talented and having a stranglehold over how much you can gush to your friends! It would probably be a relief for Kaiya to be able to talk to them about it.
"Oh, I think I see our stuff?" Naoto suggests. Not the food, but many pretty mini tea kettles were coming their way.
Kaiya giggled a bit at that response. Honestly, it had begun to feel like her friends would start doubting her claims of *having* a boyfriend with how she couldn't introduce him around. Now, though, even if she couldn't let their other friends into the know, if there was ever a question, Mariko and Akari could admit to having met him. Well, assuming it turned out to be okay, after all.
At the announcement that their drinks were on the way, Akari looked over, then grinned. "Oh! I think it is!" She agreed, enjoying the sight of the pretty teapots being set before them.
Honestly, the only reason Mariko hadn't doubted Kaiya before was that there had been something genuine in her excitement whenever she talked about the boyfriend, and she had never made a 'mistake' (like if someone were trying to keep track of lies). But it had been kind of sus.
Naoto claps his hands together once, leaving them in a prayer like position in front of him, excited by the arrival of their drinks. "Wow, they're so cute~ This place is so cool." He gets out his phone to take a picture, but doesn't send it to Kenta right away before he does not want to read that message in public.
Akari, meanwhile, hadn't doubted Kaiya actually having a boyfriend since running into her and Mikoto all those weeks ago. "They really are!" She agreed with Uriel, also getting her phone out, but being far more meticulous about her photos of the tea pots and treats, even reaching out to readjust them to be more aesthetically pleasing, getting the light to go through the tea pots just so, but not reflecting off of any of the glass, including the flower-filled table. Once she was happy with the composition, she took a few photos, then sat back down.
Kaiya blinked at Akari being so diligent about these pictures. Sure, she had taken pictures while out at various cafes with the whole group before, but she didn't remember the older girl going to so much trouble before.
Seeing Kaiya's surprise, Akari smiled at her friend. "For my food insta. First time I've been here, so I need to have the prettiest pictures to advertise, right?"
Naoto and Kaiya are clearly kindred spirits as his reaction to Akari's pictures is much the same as hers. He thought Kenta would be more happy with his casual photos than something meticulous, but hearing the girl has a food insta, it makes sense.
Mariko has seen her friend go to this extent before, and happily waits. And then laments, "They're all going to be much too hot to drink still, aren't they?"
At the explanation, Kaiya smiled and nodded in understanding. "Oh~ That makes sense!" She said brightly, then giggled at Mariko's words. "Yeah, probably, But we could pour some into cups to try to help it cool off? Then maybe take a picture that has *us* in it?" She suggested.
Akari clapped in delight at that suggestion. "I'd love to get a picture of us with our pretty tea!" She agreed, then glanced at Uriel. "Would it be okay? Can we get a picture all together?" She wouldn't mind cropping the photo to be able to post it on her normal insta, but it would be nice if they could have a picture like that, just for themselves.
"O-Oh, I don't know?" Naoto admits. He hadn't asked Takuya about that - just if it was OK to go to the cafe with them at all. He doesn't really want to call or text his senpai again, especially since there is a part of him that chafes at the idea of having to ask permission for everything. Buuuuuuut he also doesn't think it's a good idea. He takes his time thinking about it -- He's gotten used to Kenta, and even Kaiya being good about giving him whatever time he wants and not rushing, and thus has learned that that's what nice people will do for him. FInally he sounds disappointed as he admits, "I'm not sure it's a great idea, for now?" Mostly because he doesn't know what the band is going to decide to do, and photos of him gives them evidence instead of them just having stories, "But hopefully sometime in the future we can do it? And I'll take pictures for you so it doesn't have to be selfies?"
Since it seemed like Uriel was considering it, Akari just waited while the violinist thought. And while she was hopeful... when the negative response came, she honestly wasn't surprised. It had been a longshot, after all. "That's cool." She responded easily. "If you don't mind taking a couple so they don't have to be selfies, that would be great, though!" She added, absolutely happy to take him up on that offer. And maybe, one day, they could all have a cool photo together.
Kaiya also waited while Naoto considered, but she had been almost 100% sure he would come down on the side of 'no'. Just because no one knew what the band would decide about her relationship with their singer. She believed in her friends, of course, but physical evidence really could be a problem. All it took was someone else accidentally seeing it on Akari's phone, and then explanations would have to be made. So, instead of weighing in at all, she just poured some of her delicious-smelling, lovely-looking tea into her cup to cool.
Mariko is not the least bit surprised, but just kind of happy he'd even thought about it. His offer to help them out to get better pictures than just selfies is appreciated too.
There's a bundle of nerves inside of Naoto that fade away as everyone responds really easily to his decision. And he hadn't felt like anyone was impatient or waiting for him either. Truly, he's starting to think that's just a mark of a good person. He wants to be able to spend time with Kaiya's friends, but it's definitely a weird situation. He stands up to move around the table so he can get a better position to take pictures of them, "Sure, of course. Having a photographer is nice, right?" Then he holds out his hand for one of their phones.
"It really is!" Akari agreed, then handed her phone over to Uriel for him to use, since it had been her request. Then she got situated with the other two girls so they could have a cute picture of the three of them and their tea.
Kaiya huddled a little closer to her friends and smiled happily while Naoto took their picture. Once he'd taken a couple of good shots, she tested the tea in her cup and her brows raised in pleased surprise. "Hmm! It's good! And almost the perfect temperature too!" Maybe a touch too hot still, but not so much that she couldn't sip it.
Naoto does his best to take good pictures, not really thinking about whether or not it would be obvious that there was an extra place setting or not -- thankfully that there was a fourth person in itself wouldn't be evidence that they'd met a 'celebrity' anyways, so it should all work out. He passes back the phone and returns to his place excitedly at Kaiya's report, "Oh, yay." And takes a careful sip.
And the conversation flows lightly as they all enjoy their floral teas and sweet treats.
Thankfully, if anyone ever asked about the fourth place setting, Akari could truthfully say that it belonged to the photo-taker, who was a shy friend of Kaiya's. Lies were always better when they were actually the truth, after all.
As they were finishing up their teas, treats long gone, Kaiya had to smile. Sure, none of the conversation had gotten very deep, but it really felt like Naoto and her friends were getting along really well, and she thought, maybe, at some point the older girls had kind of forgotten that the violinist was part of the favourite band. Maybe not for long, but for a moment here or there.
For Naoto, it feels a lot like hanging out with some of his gosuloli friends - they might not be super close but it was fun and easy. He certainly seems to have relaxed despite his clear shyness.
Mariko had had the time of her life - from watching Uriel spend like 3 minutes making a simple decision, to his shyness, and moments with bright smiles, and seeing him relax. She's trying not to hope too much for what could come of this, and reminding herself that this might be the only chance they get to hang out like this, but it was definitely fun. And she does not really want to go.
Akari was absolutely on the same wavelength as her older friend: she didn't want to have to go their separate ways when they were done here, but she didn't really know what to suggest for them to keep hanging out. She would offer for them all to come to her apartment, but it was small, and she hadn't exactly picked up before heading out for today. On top of that, she thought that might be pushing it with what Uriel would be comfortable with.
With the tea pretty much gone now, Kaiya also knew that it was just about time for them to think about what they were going to do next. If Mariko and Akari hadn't been there, that probably would have meant going back to her place with everything she and Naoto had picked up for his custom clothing and bunny tail accessory, then doing a final measuring of the violinist. She believed the measurements he had sent from Devillic's official sizings, but there was always a chance of there being slight differences in measurements because of the tape being used, or the specific spot being measured, and *she* knew how close to perfect she could get on the first fitting if she used her own numbers. That said, she didn't think that would be at all interesting to her friends, nor was she sure that Naoto would be comfortable with doing that kind of thing with the other two around. Still.... "So... I guess we're just about done here. I'm not sure what you were planning to do, Fujita-san, Miyazaki-san, but I think our next stop was going to be my place?" She glanced at Naoto for confirmation, though she was certainly hoping he would help her lug all these bags home, if nothing else!
Yea, while Naoto enjoyed hanging out with Kaiya's friends -- there's been a low level of stress and tension not knowing how the situation was going to turn out when Takuya was done with it. So he does kind of think it's best they go their separate ways. "Yes, we should probably continue on with our plans... um, it was nice meeting everyone though."
Mariko is careful not to show her disappointment - made easy since it was honestly as expected, "It was wonderful to hang out -- I hope we can do it again sometime."
Kaiya was glad that she had left the invitation quite vague, allowing Naoto to make it clear that their outing was over. She definitely didn't blame him for that decision. Honestly, she was kind of relieved, since she felt kind of trapped between the desires of both sides here. This way *she* didn't have to tell her friends they had to split now. "I'm glad we all got to hang out too! We'll have to talk about meeting up for the festival, once I know if I can get tickets or not." Honestly, the getting of the tickets was a non-issue with her boyfriend literally fronting the band, but it was more about the timing... and she didn't want to make it seem like she had a lot of privileges due to dating Setsuna. She absolutely *did* in a lot of ways, but it just felt rude to rub her friends' noses in it.
Akari also swallowed her disappointment beneath her smile. "It certainly was!" She agreed with Mariko, "If there's a chance of doing this again, I totally want to know~" She added, trying not to seem too desperate. Desperate rarely got you the attention you wanted, after all. "And absolutely about the festival! We should check with the other girls and see if they're going too." Obviously it would be even more fun if they could all go together.
Naoto doesn't know what to say -- he's sure the band will be contacting the girls, probably through Kaiya at some point. Whether or not they can hang out again is not really up to him, and he gets that... in fact he thinks everyone kind of gets that. The ticket conversation doesn't involve him either. Kaiya can obviously get one if she wants one, and that's about it. He moves to the counter to pay for his things.
"I hope you can come," Mariko replies, just pure honesty. Kaiya is part of the group, and it would feel worse if she wasn't there for the concert.
Kaiya smiled happily at the genuine-seeming hope from her friends, but followed Naoto to the counter so she could pay for her items as well. Once they were all paid for and ready to go, she turned to the older girls. "Well, I guess I'll see you next Friday?" She said, since there was a planned meet up of most of their little group then. Hopefully by then she'd have some kind of answer as to what she could and could not tell these two about, and what the other restrictions might be, but either way, it wouldn't be a topic for the whole group, so it probably wouldn't matter too much.
"Yup~ Next Friday for sure~" Akari agreed with another, truly warm smile for her younger friend. She did hope that Kaiya and Naoto wouldn't get in too much trouble over everything, and that they wouldn't get locked down too tight on what could be known or talked about. She would respect whatever, obviously, but she could always hope for the best. She looked over at Mariko then, though, and suggested, "Guess it's time to head out?"
"Yes, I think so," Mariko agrees. At least she can go with Akari and gush about their amazing luck, even if it is sad they have to go. "See you later Kaiya-chan, it was very nice meeting you Uriel-san."
"Thanks for your help today, and your support," Naoto replies, the former a reference to the great button hunt, and the latter being about Devillic in general.
"Yes! It was so nice to meet you, Uriel-san! And you can definitely count on us for support!" Akari assured brightly, happy that they had been able to help, at least as much as just having been able to meet one of her idols. "Anyway~ See you later~" She said with a little wave, heading on out with Mariko, only dropping into quiet fangirling with the other woman once they were definitely out of earshot.
Kaiya beamed at her friends being so nice and sweet, then waved at them as they left. Once they were gone, she turned to Naoto and asked, "So... to my place so we can drop all these bags and I can finalize your measurements?"
"Uhh, yes," Naoto agrees, happy that Kaiya has a game plan and they can just go with it. He's still kind of anxious about what the band's decision on everything will be, but he doesn't feel like there's anything he can do about it so he tries not to focus on it.
Kaiya was of the same opinion: nothing they could do about the stuff with the band right now, so no point in dwelling on it and worrying. Much better to just get lost in fashion stuff. "Okay~ Let's head for the train, then~" She agreed, hefting the bags in her hands so that they could be on their way. As they walked, though, she asked, "So... how was it meeting some fans out in the wild?" She wasn't sure how often that kind of thing actually happened to the violinist when not near an actual venue.
"Hmm, it was very different than normal," Naoto has to admit. With his style he does get noticed somewhat. "Usually it's just like. be polite, thank them, and get out of the situation. But they were your friends so I've never had a situation like this before."
"Sorry... I know it was weird. Did you feel really awkward, though?" Kaiya asked, having thought that Naoto had done a good job pretending it wasn't too strange while it was happening. "I really do believe they won't tell anyone else, though. At least, not until you guys say they can." There was a chance that the other two would be allowed to say they had met 'Uriel', after all (since that wasn't too weird). It was more revealing the band's connections to herself, and vice versa, that would be issues she was sure.
Naoto, as is usual for him, takes time considering his answer, "I didn't feel awkward like, about them? Or with them? But it was awkward not knowing what was ok or what the band would say... if the band says it's ok and we can hang out again, then I don't think it would be too awkward? Although... it was weird being with you but having to be 'Uriel'." Hearing Kaiya call him by the name was mega weird.
"Oh good!" Kaiya replied with relief. "I'd feel bad if you'd felt weird and awkward the whole time, so I'm glad it wasn't like that." She explained, then nodded at Naoto's other thoughts. "Yeah... I agree, that part makes it weird. I haven't liked holding back with them, but it felt weirder to know they knew some stuff, but that I couldn't just be completely *open* about it all at the same time." That comment about his name, though, made the girl giggle. "Yeah, that was probably the weirdest thing. I don't think I've called you that since we literally met?" And that was just because she knew his stage name well at that point, and had only heard his real name a couple of times.
"I mean? I think I had a few chances to get out if I didn't want to? It was nice to get to meet your friends," Naoto explains, having definitely been curious about them. Friends of friends are a great way to get more friends, after all. Soon enough they're waiting on the train platform.
Kaiya nodded at Naoto's observations. She certainly had tried to give him a chance to get out of the situation if he wanted, so she was glad he felt the same way. Standing on the platform waiting for the train, she hoped it wouldn't be too crowded. With the number of bags they had between them, they would end up taking up a good bit of space, just the two of them. Would be much nicer to be able to get seats.
Kaiya agreeing makes Naoto feel like he'd successfully picked up on some social cues, which is nice. He's starting to really want to message Kenta as he doesn't usually go this long without doing so -- but knowing there's a spicy message waiting for him makes him not want to do it in such a public space.
Since they were very much now in public, and even moreso when they got on the not-too-crowded, but still rather full train, she let their conversation lapse into lighter, more fashion-oriented topics as they made their way toward the station nearest her apartment. Thankfully, it never got *so* crowded that they were squashed, and they were able to make their way off the train with all their bags intact. "Here we are~" She said as they got off at the station. "Mine and my brother's place isn't too far from here." She told the violinist, since this would be his first time at their apartment.
"Ok, please lead the way," Naoto replies, suddenly realizing he hadn't brought like... a gift. People usually bring a little gift when they're going to someone's house right? So the realization he hadn't brought anything makes his anxiety rise, although he doesn't bring it up. Thankfully the streets here are not so busy, and there's a fair amount of green space, "It seems like a nice area?"
Kaiya nodded at Naoto's observation about the area. "Mhm! It is! I think it's about the nicest place my brother and I have ever lived!" At least of the places she, personally, could remember, this was true. "My brother's agency subsidizes our apartment, though, so that's how we can live here." She added, knowing that there was no way they could normally afford a two bedroom place in an area like this on just her brother's modeling money and her sporadic commissions. Assuming Keiji would even let her put money in for their living arrangements. "Oh! And there's a bamboo forest nearby!" She advertised as they continued walking toward her building, which she could actually see now, not all that far away.
"Oh, I see," Naoto replies. He does have some concept of things not being easy for Kaiya and her brother, so it had been a little surprising to see such a nice residential area, but he's glad for them anyways. Nothing compared to the surprise the violinist shows at that last statement, "Huh? A Bamboo... forest?" The idea of there being anything that could be remotely called a forest in Tokyo is just mindblowing.
"Well.... it's called the bamboo forest, but it's more like a bamboo park with tended paths through it? But the shoots are so high you can't see any surrounding buildings unless you're at the edge, so it definitely feels like a forest when you're in there." Kaiya further explained, absolutely understanding why the name would make the attraction seem impossible. As they got closer she pointed out a somewhat older-looking building ahead. "We're almost there~"
"Oh, that sounds really nice," Naoto has to admit. Sounds like an amazing place to get high, which may be a weird thought for someone who has cut down on that a lot but whatever. he can kind of see some of those treetops, now that he thinks about it, but his attention is redirected to the older apartment building. It kind of reminds him of the building where Kenta is crashing, honestly. Older, but seemingly nevertheless well-cared for.
"Mhm~" Kaiya agreed. "You should go see it sometime!" She suggested, though not really including herself in that outing since she really wasn't at all sure what the fall out of the day's events would be. Obviously she'd still be able to hang out with Naoto, but maybe not *so* publicly. Until they knew for sure, better *not* to make plans. When they got to her building, she led the way up to her apartment, then unlocked the door and waved the violinist inside. She knew that Keiji was done with his shoot for the day, but she wasn't sure if he was actually home. Not seeing his shoes in the genkan, though, once she was inside, she figured he must have gone to see Mikoto instead. "Well, here we are!" She said, dropping the bags for the moment, relocking the door and moving to take her shoes off.
"I would like to," Naoto replies, happy to go there with Kaiya, or maybe drag Kenta along to see something so zen and cool sounding. Naoto says a polite 'ojamashimasu' as he enters the apartment and looks around. Nobody else's shoes in the genkan gives him a sense of relief - no one around to realize he'd forgotten to bring a present along. The decor seems simple but homey. He stops to take off his shoes, which take a little longer than a simpler pair of boots would. "Thank you for having me."
"Thank *you* for coming shopping, and for agreeing to let me double check your measurements!" Kaiya countered with a smile, then asked, "Would you like me to hang up your jacket? Or did you want to keep it on?" To keep the bills down, the siblings did tend to keep the apartment a little cooler, especially in the spring and fall when they didn't strictly need the heat on to keep them from freezing. And the jacket being part of Naoto's outfit, it really could go either way in her opinion. Of course, she would need him to take it off for measurements, but that wasn't just yet. "Also, would you like some water?" She was really trying to be a good hostess.
"Thank you for agreeing to make an outfit for me," Naoto replies, smiling in gentle amusement. They could keep on going with the thanks, really. It's just such a mutually beneficial situation. It isn't terribly warm in the apartment, so he admits, "I think I'll keep it on for now, and yes, some water would be nice. Thanks." Finally freed of his boots, he steps up into the apartment proper and looks around, not really sure where he ought to go.
With the acceptance of the offer of water, Kaiya made for the kitchen without really thinking about the fact that this was Naoto's first time in the apartment and wouldn't know where anything (except the obvious living room) would be. When she came out with two glasses of water, she noticed the slightly lost look. "Oh! I guess I should give you a tour, huh?" She realized belatedly. "Ummm... this is the living room, obviously." She said while handing the water to her friend. "And that's the kitchen, where I just was."
Just because Naoto's in the living room doesn't, in his mind, immediately give him permission to say, sit and relax on the sofa. So he's very much still standing, trying to decide what to do when Kaiya returns with a glass of water. "Oh, sure, yes please." He says, to the notion of the tour, accepting a glass of water and having a sip though.
Having received that affirmative, Kaiya continued with her mini-tour, "And that door, there, leads to the bathroom. The door to my brother's room is through the kitchen. And.... that's my room over there." She said, pointing at the final visible door. "And that's basically it!" She finished with a smile. "Did you want to sit in here for a bit? Or you can come in my room instead?" She offered tentatively, not sure about the violinist's comfort level with being in a girl's bedroom. Sure, he had a boyfriend, and she had a boyfriend, and he was in a band with her boyfriend, but that didn't mean he would be comfortable in her bedroom with her. So, she wanted to offer, rather than just assume.
Naoto doesn't have any issue going to Kaiya's room, he just isn't sure what would be best for their purposes. So he suggests, "Um.. whichever is best for you?" He doesn't see any sewing stuff in the living room but maybe it's just squared away when not in use.
"Well, all my sewing stuff is in my room, but I can grab my measuring tape and bring it anywhere. But.... if you wanna see some of the other stuff I've made, it would be in there." Kaiya responded, not thinking either was exactly better for her, but still preferring her room just because.
The violinist definitely does have some interest in seeing his friend's other works, and the space she works in, and it sounds like Kaiya is at the very least ok with the idea, so he nods, "Then, let's go to your room?"
"Okay!" Kaiya agreed brightly, then led the way into her room. With the incredible help of her boyfriend, there was now a good little collection of plushies (pokemon being the most predominant of them) on her nicely made bed. Other than that, her room held a sewing machine that folded away to be a decent enough desk for her to also do her homework at. Next to that was a dressform that had been found secondhand, but was actually adjustable in size, which she absolutely adored. There was nothing on it just now, as she'd been intending to adjust it to match Naoto that day, so she would have had to remove any current projects anyway. The last piece of furniture in the room was a small chest of drawers to hold her undergarments and some of her clothing. Most of her clothes were in the closet. "Okay, let me get my tape measure..." She said, going to one of the drawers in the sewing table to get it.
Naoto takes in the room, being made really happy by the plushies. Kaiya always seems so much more mature than her age and it's nice to see a sort of girl-ish side to her. "Sure," He agrees, having another sip of water while he drinks.
It didn't take long for Kaiya to find what she was looking for since her sewing table was quite well organized. Once she had it in hand, she said, "Okay, *now* I'll need you to take off your jacket so I can get proper measurements. Actually... if you can strip down as far as you're comfortable, that would work best." She added, not wanting to say that in his underwear would be best, but that really was what she meant. Still, she could work with him wearing everything but the jacket, so whatever he went with, she would make work.
The violinist nods, and while one may expect his shyness to cause issues here - well he doesn't like girls that way, apparently, and he has had more than a few fittings for the band so this is relatively normal for him. He strips down into his heat-tech on top, and some thermal tights that had been under his entire outfit, leaving him both well covered and technically in underwear - at least undergarments.
"Pink does suit him very well," Mariko agrees, and it makes her happy deep down to know that pink was his choice, and not just some band thing or trendy idea. Even if she definitely likes the current, more polished style better. She is dying to ask questions about Setsuna auditioning, but also trying to be respectful. It's probably obvious to her friends that she's biting her tongue, but she really doesn't want to over step the boundaries. And she doesn't know where they are, right now. "Thank you for sharing these pictures with us, Kaiya-chan." She says, as she reaches the end and passes the phone back.
"Hmm?" Takuya replied, thankfully actually still listening, rather than planning various ways things could go in the next few days. "Oh, no, that would be fine. After all, you're not dating any of them, and that's an easy thing to deny because it's true." The band leader responded, since the 'damage control' was all about the whole 'fans disliking idols having partners' thing. Naoto hanging out with girls at cafes was not an abnormal thing, and should not start any rumours at all. "Actually, it might be good for you to hang out with them right now: let them be all star struck and fangirly, and not feel the need to spread the gossip they have. If they think staying quiet will allow them to hang out with you in the future, it might actually be a help." Yes, he was being a little calculated about all this, but their band had only *just* got around a scandal with their last vocalist. They did *not* need something like this leaking just before summer festivals.
"I think so too!" Kaiya agreed brightly. She accepted her phone back and put it away with a smile for the thanks. "Maybe another time I can show you guys some others." She offered. She couldn't now because even *she* knew she was going to have to tell her boyfriend *and* his band leader about all of this before she even *dreamed* of sharing any photos that were even close to unprofessional of Setsuna. Actually.... maybe that was who Naoto was calling? Takuya?
Akari was thrilled with the pictures they'd been allowed to see, of course, but maybe getting to see more? And maybe, just maybe, ones of the rest of the band? Like Belial? Oh yes, she was very, very excited for that. "Yes, thank you for sharing those, Kaiya-chan. They were really nice, and it's nice to see Setsuna so relaxed and out of character!"
Naoto doesn't quite get all the calculations going on, but he does feel like defending them some, "They haven't been all star-struck and fangirly. They've been nice and helpful. I want to go to the cafe with them because they're Kaiya-chan's friends, and I couldn't get to know them before, but now it's like, maybe I can? Cuz they know anyways?"
"If it's ok," Mariko replies, understanding that the current situation is kind of tenuous. She just hopes that, even if the band decides to clamp down on everything, that Kaiya can still hang out with them.
While Takuya certainly believed his youngest bandmate's observations, he also knew that Naoto could be a bit naive. So, while he was sure that the girls weren't fangirling all over the violinist right now while he was there, the drummer wasn't so sure that would stay true once they were with their other friends. "Well, I have no reason for you not to go with them to a cafe." He reiterated, not restating his thoughts about reporting back on what these friends might say or do. He could still ask about the outing later, and also ask Kaiya as well. After all, he was going to have to talk to her and Setsuna about all this rather soon anyway. "Have fun?" He added, hoping that would be a strong enough answer for the violinist.
Kaiya smiled at Mariko's understanding words, then, because Naoto still hadn't returned, she asked, "So... are you guys excited for the summer festivals?" Thankfully, the lineups for some of the ones Devillic were going to be playing had been announced, so she wasn't hitting her friends with surprise knowledge just yet.
Akari grinned at the question. "I've already put in requests at work for days off for the first two." She admitted, though this probably wasn't at all surprising.
Naoto has a slight pout, which Takuya of course cannot see, since he feels some kind of way about Takuya's guarded responses, but he also trusts his band leader. "Ok. So, yeah, I'm going to go. Thank you, Takuya-san. Sorry for interrupting, I guess I'll talk to you later?" he says, since it sounded like the call was over and he wants to be polite. Then he heads back to join the girls.
"Me too~" Mariko agrees excitedly. She's also been looking into accommodations because she is not a girl who wants to camp out. "There are some other bands I like that will be there too, so it's all win-win for me."
Honestly, Takuya hadn't meant to sound guarded or defensive, he was just thinking very seriously about possible repercussions and how to mitigate them. He really didn't see any harm at all in Naoto hanging out with Kaiya and her friends, and wouldn't have minded at all without the revelation that they had made the connection between Kaiya and their vocalist dating. "No no, you weren't interrupting at all. I'm happy you called, Naoto-kun. And yes, of course, I'll talk to you later. Goodbye!" He ended with a slight smile before hanging up and immediately calling Yamato, needing his boyfriend's thoughts and calming influence on this situation while he talked it out, out loud, before involving the actual couple (one of which can't even participate at the moment anyway).
"Nice! Want to go together?" Akari asked her older friend, thinking this was almost a foregone conclusion, but still thinking it polite to ask. "What about you, Kaiya-chan? Are you able to go?" She was aware that the younger girl was still in school, so she might not be willing to take the time off.
Seeing Naoto returning, Kaiya smiled at him before answering, "I'm hoping to go to the first one, since their performance is on the Saturday, but I think I'll have to miss the second one." She admitted. Also, the first was much closer to home, while the second was further away.
"Sure~" Mariko responds easily, perfectly happy to share a room to save money on the room price, and Akari being someone she's willing to do that with. She actually consciously fights the little thrill feeling of Naoto returning, wanting to do her best to treat him as a usual person. She nods, since Kaiya's plan makes sense, "I really hope you can go." She leaves unsaid that it's going to be Setsuna's first 'real' concert.
"Um, does anyone know any fun cafes around here?" Naoto asks, since that was part of the whole reason he'd gone to chat with Takuya.
"Yay!" Akari enthused, already knowing from past concerts that this meant she could count on her friend to find them accommodations and just have to pay her half. Yes, it might be a little opportunistic, but she *hated* looking for good places to stay for a decent price, not too far from the venue. There had been times she hated it so much she actually camped out instead. Not the most fun experience, but an experience nonetheless. Actually, that had been how she'd met Himeko-chan and Fumiko-chan. Being young, they'd wanted the 'full experience' as they'd called it. Apparently Himeko's brother had convinced her that camping out was what *true* fans did. The pair still camped out whenever they could, but Akari was far happier having an actual bed, whether she got her own, or had to share. When Naoto joined them, she couldn't help but show her excitement with her smile. "There are a few nice ones down the way. I've only been in a couple before, but I'm sure we can find something fun or cute!" She insisted.
Kaiya smiled at Mariko's hopeful response, understanding implicitly why the older girl was providing her well-wishes. "Thanks, Fujita-san!" She said, then shrugged at Naoto's question. She didn't normally come here to look for cafes, after all. Thankfully, it sounded like her friends might have some ideas.
Mariko likes the idea of camping, especially for the money savings, but she is old enough to know and accept herself, and she knows that she is just *not* that girl. She doesn't mind Akari 'taking advantage' of her finding accomodations -- she'd be paying for it either way, so this way she just has to pay half. It's win-win, really. Her memory of the exact location is a bit fuzzy, so she asks Akari, "Isn't that like... super floral cafe near here?"
Naoto is happy to let the girls who are more familiar with the area find them a cafe. This isn't his neck of the woods - in shibuya or harajuku he knows lots of options.
Akari's head tilted, sending the ends of her razor-straight hair swinging gently, as she considered her friend's question. "I think you're right... and it should be really nice right now, with all the flowers in bloom~" She agreed. "I think it's on this street? If not, maybe the next one over?" She suggested, wishing she could remember the name of the place so she could just look it up. Deciding 'what the heck', she got out her phone and googled 'super flowery cafe' and their location, and laughed. "Okay, so there are two: Nomu and The Flower Market. I'm pretty sure I was envisioning the Market, but which one did you mean, Mariko-san?" She asked, holding her phone out so the older girl could look (and also Kaiya and Naoto).
Kaiya took a look at the pictures, and both cafes looked very full of plants and flowers, and both looked like they would be fun to go to and sip tea, so she was happy to go to either one.
"Ohh, they both look really cute." Naoto enthuses as he looks at the photos, feeling like he's happy to go to either one of them.
"The market was the one I was thinking of," Mariko replies, and everyone seems pretty happy with the pictures, she suggests, "shall we go there then?"
"Great!" Akari responded, already finding the location of the cafe, and seeing it was, indeed, on the street they were on, just beyond the fabric stores. "Okay~ Looks like it's not that far at all! Good thing, because I don't think a single one of us wore good walking shoes." She teased. Given that they had all already done quite a bit of walking, obviously this wasn't completely true.
Kaiya just giggled at the older girl's teasing and followed along toward the cafe. Even without GPS, they almost certainly couldn't miss their destination if it looked anything at all like the pictures.
The truth is, these *are* some of Naoto's more comfortable walking shoes. They're still not comfortable at *all*, but they're not the worst at all. He's a little surprised it's so close, but grateful, and it does make some sense to be a trendy little cafe near all the vintage shops.
"Lead the way," Mariko suggests, although truthfully it's Akari's phone leading the way. They all head over to the cafe and get in. Walking in feels like walking into a garden or a jungle and it's amazing.
When they walked into the cafe, Kaiya stared all around in amazement. The pictures had not done this place justice at all! When they took their seats (bags all tucked away), Kaiya was all smiles. "This place is beautiful! Have you been here before?" She asked her two friends, though it had sort of seemed like they'd just seen it, not actually been in.
Akari shook her head with a smile of her own and put her phone away. "No! I've walked past a couple of times, but never actually come in. I hope their tea is as good as the atmosphere", she admitted. After all, that might very well be an issue: cool-looking cafe, not so great food and drink offerings.
"I'm usually in the area by myself, and I don't really want to go to someplace as neat as this by myself. But yeah every time I walk by I'm like 'ohhh, I wanna try it," Mariko admits. At least everybody knows that it's a blind try and they don't know how good anything'll taste.
"I can't believe there are plants *in* the table," Naoto replies, feeling a little concerned that if he moved the wrong way he'd pull a leaf off of something.
Kaiya giggled happily at hearing this was going to be a new experience for all four of them. "Well, I guess we'll just have to find out how it is together!" She said, before starting to look over the menu. It didn't seem to be an extensive menu, but with insight from her chef boyfriend, she understood that could actually be a good thing. Fewer items could mean fresher ingredients and more expertise in making those particular things. That said, she immediately gravitated toward the flower parfait. She wasn't sure they were going to get food, though, and she didn't want to be the only one to do so, so she took her wandering eyes back to the available teas. To her delight, she noticed most mentioned pretty flowers or petals being part of the teas, so she was pretty sure the teas would come in clear pots so they could enjoy the flowers inside them as well.
Akari, meanwhile, ignored the menu at first in an attempt to make a connection with Uriel. "It really is surprising, right? When I saw the pictures, I thought there were only flowers *on* the tables, and around the cafe, but it's really neat having them *in* the tables too!"
"I never would have imagined that someone even could do this," Naoto admits. Like the logistics of putting a plant in a glass table isn't that hard, but CARING for that plant and keeping it looking gorgeous seems complicated. But he definitely loves a theme, especially one taken to the extreme. That's kind of how his fashion goes too, and definitely the attitude he takes towards his insta looks too.
Honestly, Mariko halfway wanted to come here as a chance to finally try it with people, and half way to just enjoy the amazing view of Uriel in this surroundings. Maybe she's not doing a good job as treating him as just a guy yet.
"It kind of makes me think of the glass tables that have live fish in them." Akari admitted, also impressed that the flowers were actually alive in there, and appeared to be well taken care of. Flowers seemed better than fish though, at least to her. They didn't need to move around quite too much. She had to think that fish must get mighty bored living in a table.
Kaiya mostly tried to stay out of the conversation, letting her friend have a chance to talk to, and maybe get to know, Naoto as a person outside of his stage persona. Instead, she decided to put in some actual effort in choosing a drink. And since Mariko hadn't jumped into the other conversation, she asked the older girl, "Have you had a chance to look at the menu yet?"
"Eh?? Fish in a table??" Naoto replies, clearly not something he'd encountered, but it sounds kind of fascinating as well. Same issue of 'how do you care for them?' comes to mind. He belatedly realizes he should take advantage of how pretty this place is by taking pictures, and gets out his phone.
"Aa, oh, not really," Mariko admits, feeling low-key caught out for enjoying the 'view', and turning to the menu. Since Kaiya had seemingly already been looking though, she asks, "Did you have anything in mind yet?"
"Yeah. Weird, right? I've only seen it once, at a high end seafood restaurant. Kind of gimmicky, honestly, but really memorable." Akari admitted, then smiled at the phone coming out. She definitely followed the man's insta, so she totally understood that he would want to take a bunch of photos. Any chance she could get one of the four of them together somehow.... maybe once they had their drinks. "Are you going to take some photos for insta?" She asked, hoping he would, even if he just posted pictures of the restaurant and his order to not give away who he had been here with.
That response made Kaiya wonder if she had intruded on her friend's internal thoughts, but since Mariko recovered quickly, the younger girl hoped it wasn't too bad. "I'm not sure whether I want to get the Refresh Blend herb tea, or maybe the rose tea.... or maybe even the sweet earl grey. They all sound so nice! But... the thing that got my attention right away was the flower parfait~" She admitted.
"At a seafood restaurant?" Naoto went from being charmed by the idea to mildly horrified immediately. Fish in a table, cute. Fish in a table watching you as you eat fish? hard no. "Hmm, right now I mostly want to take pictures for myself." Naoto doesn't usually do a lot of photos of food or whatnot on his insta. He thinks that's not really what people are coming for, "But maybe someone could take a picture of me standing by that ... wall?" Is it a wall if it's made entirely of greenery? "And I could post that to insta?" Definitely not posting that until he gets home, or maybe even til tomorrow. Don't post things that give away where you are, after all.
Mariko looks at the menu in Kaiya's hands to see the girl point things out. There were a lot of tea options, so she'll need to think about what to drink. And then she falls in love with that parfait as well, "Do you want to split one?"
"Uh huh. Weird, right? I mean, the fish in the table were not fish you would ever eat, but still weird to have fish swimming around under your plate of fish, right?" Akari insisted. Honestly, she wasn't sure that fish in a table would ever be a good thing anywhere, but it was both gimmicky and strange in that situation. She nodded along with the idea that Uriel was more likely to do photos just for himself here, but couldn't help but brighten at the idea of the violinist having his picture taken against a backdrop of all that greenery. "Oh, I bet that would look really cool!" She enthused, then volunteered, "I'm sure one of us could take it for you, if you wanted." Better than a selfie, right?
That offer made Kaiya's eyes widen in delight. "Oh! That would be perfect!" She responded, thinking that it would be incredibly decadent to get one all to herself, but splitting one would be just about perfect.
"I think I would be too embarrassed to eat in front of them...." Naoto admits. After all the fish are all kind of like the same family, or tribe right? So yeah he thinks that sounds super weird. He definitely wants to take some pictures to show Kenta, and gets a sweet smile hearing a devillic fan agreeing that a photo of him with this place as a backdrop would be nice, "Yeah... especially since I often have to take selfies? So when I have a chance to get someone to do it for me, for variety, I really like to do so?"
"Absolutely. A whole one seems like it would be a bit much, right?" Mariko replies, being just as interested in the dessert as Kaiya but also didn't think she could eat a whole one on her own.
Oh, Uriel was sooooo cute, saying something like that! Akari was so not going to mention that tons of fish eat other fish and ruin that adorable innocence. Instead, she just nodded in agreement and moved on. "Yeah, I've noticed there are a lot of selfies on your insta, but sometimes there are full-length, or just not selfies, and those are fun for a change of pace." She admitted, not thinking it would be weird to admit she looked at his insta. That should be obvious, being a fan of Devillic, and all, right? "I'm sure any of us would be willing to take some for you too, so you don't have to worry about that.
Kaiya nodded with a smile for Mariko. "Mhm! It really does. I liked the idea of it immediately, but it did seem like a bit much just for me." She admitted, especially since she was trying to watch what she ate just a little. She knew that Mikoto was certain her change in weight was due to an incoming growth spurt, but that didn't mean she should jinx it by eating a bunch of sweets.
Naoto takes her looking at his insta fully in stride -- it does make sense, after all, and he's pretty sure Kaiya follows him too, "Yeah... selfies are easiest -- and sometimes if I'm doing a makeup look just for insta I'm not really putting on a full look to go with it. And if it was full length, it's hard to see the details in the makeup, right?" At least that's what he thinks. He uses his phone, set to selfie mode, to check his hair, "Maybe it's better to take photos before we eat or drink?"
"Then, let's do that," Mariko agrees, clapping her hands together once as a gesture showing it's decided. Then she looks back to the other two, chatting away, and admits, "That said, I don't think our comrades have so much as looked at the menu yet..."
Akari nodded along in understanding. "That makes sense. When I post pictures of my hair or makeup, it's often selfies of me for the same reason." She admitted. "I'm guilty of the food posts thing, though." She continued, not sounding at all embarrassed by this, though. When Uriel brought up doing photos now, though, she eagerly agreed, "Oh yeah, that's probably a good idea. Did you want me to take them, or...?" She offered, hoping he would say yes, but not really expecting him to. He'd probably feel most comfortable with Kaiya handling his phone, honestly.
"Yay!" Kaiya replied. Now she just needed to choose a drink to go with it. However, when Mariko brought up what Naoto and Akari were doing, she glanced over at them. "Yeah... looks like not. Have you guys chosen what you want already?" She asked, figuring they might have chosen immediately, *then* gotten distracted.
"Aa, I don't think there's anything wrong with food posts," Naoto hastens to add, since he wasn't trying to insult, "I'm just... I guess I'm targeting makeup stuff? like as a brand? so I feel like people might not be as interested in food stuff. And I don't want someone to go 'oh, he eats there a lot' or something..." He's had a lot of media training and safety beat into him by his (understandably) concerned sempai. Including phone safety, so he definitely admits, "I'll probably ask Kaiya-chan... Oh." It's about then that the other two ask them. He shakes his head, since they had not at all looked at the menu.
"Oh, that definitely makes sense, especially since it's related to your band work." Akari agreed, understanding his stance on things a little better now. His response about the picture taking was, honestly, not surprising. She'd hoped, but not really believed that she'd get to actually touch Uriel's own phone. Not like she wanted to touch it and never wash her hand again, or anything, it would just be kind of magical somehow. She nodded, though, in understanding, but turning her attention to Kaiya's question. "Oh! We haven't even looked at the menu yet! Uriel wanted to take some pictures before eating, though?"
Kaiya couldn't help but giggle lightly at the admission that the other two hadn't even looked yet, but having heard her name right around when she was asking her question, she asked, "Were you wanting me to take them?" Her question obviously directed at Naoto.
"Yes please, if you wouldn't mind, Kaiya-chan," Naoto asks politely, despite them being friends. It's just kind of how he is. He's only really comfortable giving his phone to someone he knows ESPECIALLY since he has a boyfriend and that must be kept secret - but he could receive a random text from Kenta at any point, honestly. He passes her his phone, and explains, "I was thinking all those plants over there would make a nice backdrop?" He points, then stands up and starts carefully checking over his clothes to make sure he's presentable.
"Honestly," Mariko replies, shaking her head -- although she doesn't blame her friend. Who would look at a menu when they could chat with Uriel, after all? She smiles hearing they're going to get to witness the man posing for photos though.
"Sure!" Kaiya agreed easily, taking Naoto's phone and standing up as well. She followed him over to the wall he was thinking of, then waited for him to pose for the photos before starting to take them.
Once Uriel was out of earshot, Akari turned to Mariko and made a face that would have matched a squeal, if it wouldn't have been too loud to actually make one. "Oh my god! Uriel is soooooo cute!" She fangirled at her friend.
"He is!" Mariko agrees immediately. He comes across more stoic on stage, so there's also a gap moe cuteness to enjoy. Quietly, she adds, "And now we get to watch him pose for photos~"
"Do I look ok?" Naoto asks Kaiya, trusting his fashionable young friend's opinion on such matters, and then he starts posing, his face immediately looking more like the Uriel the fans would be used to.
"So true~" Akari agreed, then turned subtly so she could watch the mini photoshoot going on. It was honestly impressive to watch the cute, quiet, sweet person that Uriel seemed to really be, turn into the expert professional in front of the camera.
Kaiya nodded at the question about Naoto's looks, then got the camera up and ready to take a good number of photos. She took the chance to do both full-lengths and non-full-lengths. Some were more 'Uriel-focused' and some were more about the greenery behind the violinist. When they were about halfway through, a text came through, and even the small amount that she read before it disappeared made her blush. Not that it was super dirty, but it was *quite* suggestive. She was definitely glad it wasn't one of the other girls holding Naoto's phone when that text from Kenta came through.
Naoto does keep the poses relatively simple; in the sense of looking relaxed and at ease. A comfortable vibe to go with the vegetation, but it's definitely Uriel's face (minus the usual Devillic makeup). He's very good at slipping into character. Once he's sure they've gotten at least something good, he experiments more, doing things like turn to the plants and touching the leaves gently (instead of looking at the camera), smelling a flower.
Mariko genuinely covers her mouth with her hand to remind her not to squeal. It's just amazing to witness.
Kaiya smiled at that flower smelling pose, then both moved closer and zoomed in so that she could get just the flower and Naoto's face and hand in the shot. She thought it was pretty, though she doubted it would be one that would be posted to insta. Then she stepped back again to take more pictures that weren't *so* close.
Akari just grinned shamelessly as she watched, which only got a touch more amused as she caught a glance at her friend's expression.
Worst case scenario, if he decides not to upload it to insta, he could always send it to Kenta. But Uriel had learned from band shoots that you do easy, guaranteed to work shots, and then you experiment. And most of the time the experiments won't work out, but sometimes when they do it's magic. Finally unable to immediately think of another pose, he decides that's enough. For the fan girls watching, it's almost like a bubble bursting - the expression change as Uriel becomes Naoto somehow noticeable despite also being subtle. He heads over to Kaiya, "How'd it go?"
When Naoto approached her after he was finished posing, Kaiya held his phone out to him. "I think we got some really good ones~ Also... a rather... personal text came through while I was taking the pictures..." She told him, half warning and half informing. Her cheeks warmed again just thinking about what she had read. "Make sure you don't read it around the other girls." She advised, not wanting them to possibly see it. Also, she wasn't sure how embarrassed such a text would make the violinist.
Naoto blushes at the IDEA of what kind of text Kaiya probably saw, and nods, since reading that in public isn't something he wants to do at all! He accepts his phone back, almost scared to even look at the photos -- luckily he has a decent excuse since they haven't ordered yet. "Can I see a menu? We should order so they don't get mad at us just hanging out?"
Kaiya happily headed back to the table, then handed over the menu she'd had to Naoto once they were seated. "Here you go. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to get." She smiled at Naoto's thoughts about people getting mad at them. She was pretty sure that anyone watching that little photoshoot they'd just done would assume that Naoto was *at least* big on insta and that he might give the cafe a boost in sales from advertising them to his followers. No way anyone working here was going to be rude to him, just in case.
It was at that moment that Akari realised *she* hadn't chosen what to get either. She'd been so engrossed in first talking to Uriel, then watching him pose, that she hadn't even thought about that. "Oh! I should look too!"
Mariko giggles at her friend realizing she hadn't looked yet, and passes her her menu since she had decided already. That said, she also totally understands.
Naoto has immediate consternation looking at the menu. The idea of floral teas that come in little glass teapots where you can see the flowers is so adorable it makes him just want all of them. And like do you get one because you want to see the flowers or because you think it'll taste the best? "...what is everyone else getting?"
Kaiya piped up immediately, "I decided on the rose tea because it comes with roses in the teapot, *and* it says that it pairs well with the flower parfait that Fujita-san and I have decided to share~"
Akari thankfully took the offered menu and quickly looked over the options. "Oh? We're getting food too? Then I'm totally going with the french toast! And.... maybe the sweet earl grey tea? I love the idea of blue cornflower petals in it~" She decided rather quickly.
Mariko nods to Kaiya's comment, and says, "I mean, I feel like one of the options with the flower in the teapot is what it *has* to be, right? I'm going for jasmine~" It's usually her favourite, and she's curious to see if it's different/better having the flower in there.
There's something mildly shocking to Naoto about how quickly Akari had decided. He agrees with the flower tea. Like, you're in a cafe full of plants and flowers, it's definitely part of the appeal. Eventually he decides on chrysanthemum tea, and pancakes. "Ok, I think I'm ready."
"Mhm!" Kaiya agreed immediately. "If I came here again, I might try one of the herb teas, because they sounded tasty, but I just can't imagine *not* getting a flower tea at least the first time!" She enthused, then glanced over at Naoto when he announced he knew what he was getting. "What did you decide on?" She asked, curious and not willing to just wait and find out when he ordered.
Akari also nodded in agreement with her older friend, then indicated to the wait staff that they were ready to order. Even so, she was also curious what the violinist was going to get, and was glad that Kaiya had asked.
"Umm, I also wanted a floral tea, so I ordered this chrysanthemum? I don't think I've ever heard of it before, so maybe it'll be interesting? And then some pancakes..." Because worst case scenario if he doesn't love his tea, at least he'll have some nice pancakes to chase it down with.
Mariko is already getting used to the seeming base level of polite uncertainty that the violinist speaks with -- which is definitely different than the Uriel persona, but still very very cute.
"We're going to have such a pretty table with all the flower-filled teapots!" Kaiya said with gentle excitement. It was about that moment that the waitress came to take their orders, and she ordered her tea and the parfait to split.
Akari also thought the polite uncertainty was adorable, and quite unexpected compared to the stage persona. Really, it was kind of weird to compare the reality with the fabricated. How different were the other members to their real selves? When the waitress arrived, she also put in her order, but she was kind of distracted with her own thoughts about what Belial was really like.
"We will," Naoto replies with a smile. He definitely wants a picture -- more for himself and Kenta than for insta or anything. He wants to check his phone to see what Kenta texted him but ALSO doesn't want to. At least he knows the host won't think much of it if he happens to not respond for a while.
Mariko is not on the same page as Akari, but would love to speculate later.
Still thinking about the various members of Devillic and their real selves, Akari grinned at Kaiya, "You know, we should totally eat at your boyfriend's restaurant sometime~" Since she and Mariko now knew the secret about the younger girl dating Setsuna, there was no reason *not* to see him in his everyday life, right?
Kaiya was caught a little off guard by that question, but she really shouldn't have been. "Ah, I'll have to see." She replied with an apologetic smile. She hoped the older girl would understand that she couldn't promise anything until she spoke to her boyfriend at least.
Naoto blinks at the question as well, and while he'd rather not have to, he does make himself interject, "Ano... there are some things we have to run through the higher ups before we can really.... be sure where to go from here?" He suggests, hoping that's enough. He had asked permission before coming to this cafe, even!
Mariko, for one, isn't surprised to hear it. She's sure that this encounter has caused a lot of complications. She's not going to speak for Akari, exactly, but she says, "Well, for me, I'm willing to abide by whatever's asked of me, or whatever rules come down from all this. So just let me know."
Akari blushed lightly at causing obvious awkwardness from her younger friend, and for receiving a gentle, though understandable, verbal slap on the wrist from both Uriel and Mariko. "Ah! Sorry. Yeah, of course! That's completely understandable, and whatever is decided by the higher ups, of course I'll do whatever is asked. I don't want to cause any trouble." She added before bowing her head in apology.
Kaiya smiled a little at the apology, then nodded. "Of course! I'll let you know what's decided, once I know. But for now... I think it's just stay quiet about everything?" She said, glancing at Naoto for confirmation, since it did sound like he had spoken to Takuya when he had gone away before.
Naoto nods. He doesn't know what Takuya is planning for this scenario but regardless the girls keeping quiet would be for the best of the band, and the best for convincing Takuya that they might be trustworthy.
Mariko smiles at Akari's apology, and agrees, "It would be nice to get to eat as his restaurant and meet him, if that's in the cards."
Akari looked up at Kaiya and smiled, but kept her own mouth shut; as if to illustrate that she *could* keep quiet, as requested.
Kaiya smiled back at her friends, glad that everything seemed to be okay, and they understood. "I'd like that too, if we can." She admitted, since it had been very hard not introducing her boyfriend to her friends.
"I bet!" Mariko replies, amused. IMAGINE having a boyfriend that hot and talented and having a stranglehold over how much you can gush to your friends! It would probably be a relief for Kaiya to be able to talk to them about it.
"Oh, I think I see our stuff?" Naoto suggests. Not the food, but many pretty mini tea kettles were coming their way.
Kaiya giggled a bit at that response. Honestly, it had begun to feel like her friends would start doubting her claims of *having* a boyfriend with how she couldn't introduce him around. Now, though, even if she couldn't let their other friends into the know, if there was ever a question, Mariko and Akari could admit to having met him. Well, assuming it turned out to be okay, after all.
At the announcement that their drinks were on the way, Akari looked over, then grinned. "Oh! I think it is!" She agreed, enjoying the sight of the pretty teapots being set before them.
Honestly, the only reason Mariko hadn't doubted Kaiya before was that there had been something genuine in her excitement whenever she talked about the boyfriend, and she had never made a 'mistake' (like if someone were trying to keep track of lies). But it had been kind of sus.
Naoto claps his hands together once, leaving them in a prayer like position in front of him, excited by the arrival of their drinks. "Wow, they're so cute~ This place is so cool." He gets out his phone to take a picture, but doesn't send it to Kenta right away before he does not want to read that message in public.
Akari, meanwhile, hadn't doubted Kaiya actually having a boyfriend since running into her and Mikoto all those weeks ago. "They really are!" She agreed with Uriel, also getting her phone out, but being far more meticulous about her photos of the tea pots and treats, even reaching out to readjust them to be more aesthetically pleasing, getting the light to go through the tea pots just so, but not reflecting off of any of the glass, including the flower-filled table. Once she was happy with the composition, she took a few photos, then sat back down.
Kaiya blinked at Akari being so diligent about these pictures. Sure, she had taken pictures while out at various cafes with the whole group before, but she didn't remember the older girl going to so much trouble before.
Seeing Kaiya's surprise, Akari smiled at her friend. "For my food insta. First time I've been here, so I need to have the prettiest pictures to advertise, right?"
Naoto and Kaiya are clearly kindred spirits as his reaction to Akari's pictures is much the same as hers. He thought Kenta would be more happy with his casual photos than something meticulous, but hearing the girl has a food insta, it makes sense.
Mariko has seen her friend go to this extent before, and happily waits. And then laments, "They're all going to be much too hot to drink still, aren't they?"
At the explanation, Kaiya smiled and nodded in understanding. "Oh~ That makes sense!" She said brightly, then giggled at Mariko's words. "Yeah, probably, But we could pour some into cups to try to help it cool off? Then maybe take a picture that has *us* in it?" She suggested.
Akari clapped in delight at that suggestion. "I'd love to get a picture of us with our pretty tea!" She agreed, then glanced at Uriel. "Would it be okay? Can we get a picture all together?" She wouldn't mind cropping the photo to be able to post it on her normal insta, but it would be nice if they could have a picture like that, just for themselves.
"O-Oh, I don't know?" Naoto admits. He hadn't asked Takuya about that - just if it was OK to go to the cafe with them at all. He doesn't really want to call or text his senpai again, especially since there is a part of him that chafes at the idea of having to ask permission for everything. Buuuuuuut he also doesn't think it's a good idea. He takes his time thinking about it -- He's gotten used to Kenta, and even Kaiya being good about giving him whatever time he wants and not rushing, and thus has learned that that's what nice people will do for him. FInally he sounds disappointed as he admits, "I'm not sure it's a great idea, for now?" Mostly because he doesn't know what the band is going to decide to do, and photos of him gives them evidence instead of them just having stories, "But hopefully sometime in the future we can do it? And I'll take pictures for you so it doesn't have to be selfies?"
Since it seemed like Uriel was considering it, Akari just waited while the violinist thought. And while she was hopeful... when the negative response came, she honestly wasn't surprised. It had been a longshot, after all. "That's cool." She responded easily. "If you don't mind taking a couple so they don't have to be selfies, that would be great, though!" She added, absolutely happy to take him up on that offer. And maybe, one day, they could all have a cool photo together.
Kaiya also waited while Naoto considered, but she had been almost 100% sure he would come down on the side of 'no'. Just because no one knew what the band would decide about her relationship with their singer. She believed in her friends, of course, but physical evidence really could be a problem. All it took was someone else accidentally seeing it on Akari's phone, and then explanations would have to be made. So, instead of weighing in at all, she just poured some of her delicious-smelling, lovely-looking tea into her cup to cool.
Mariko is not the least bit surprised, but just kind of happy he'd even thought about it. His offer to help them out to get better pictures than just selfies is appreciated too.
There's a bundle of nerves inside of Naoto that fade away as everyone responds really easily to his decision. And he hadn't felt like anyone was impatient or waiting for him either. Truly, he's starting to think that's just a mark of a good person. He wants to be able to spend time with Kaiya's friends, but it's definitely a weird situation. He stands up to move around the table so he can get a better position to take pictures of them, "Sure, of course. Having a photographer is nice, right?" Then he holds out his hand for one of their phones.
"It really is!" Akari agreed, then handed her phone over to Uriel for him to use, since it had been her request. Then she got situated with the other two girls so they could have a cute picture of the three of them and their tea.
Kaiya huddled a little closer to her friends and smiled happily while Naoto took their picture. Once he'd taken a couple of good shots, she tested the tea in her cup and her brows raised in pleased surprise. "Hmm! It's good! And almost the perfect temperature too!" Maybe a touch too hot still, but not so much that she couldn't sip it.
Naoto does his best to take good pictures, not really thinking about whether or not it would be obvious that there was an extra place setting or not -- thankfully that there was a fourth person in itself wouldn't be evidence that they'd met a 'celebrity' anyways, so it should all work out. He passes back the phone and returns to his place excitedly at Kaiya's report, "Oh, yay." And takes a careful sip.
And the conversation flows lightly as they all enjoy their floral teas and sweet treats.
Thankfully, if anyone ever asked about the fourth place setting, Akari could truthfully say that it belonged to the photo-taker, who was a shy friend of Kaiya's. Lies were always better when they were actually the truth, after all.
As they were finishing up their teas, treats long gone, Kaiya had to smile. Sure, none of the conversation had gotten very deep, but it really felt like Naoto and her friends were getting along really well, and she thought, maybe, at some point the older girls had kind of forgotten that the violinist was part of the favourite band. Maybe not for long, but for a moment here or there.
For Naoto, it feels a lot like hanging out with some of his gosuloli friends - they might not be super close but it was fun and easy. He certainly seems to have relaxed despite his clear shyness.
Mariko had had the time of her life - from watching Uriel spend like 3 minutes making a simple decision, to his shyness, and moments with bright smiles, and seeing him relax. She's trying not to hope too much for what could come of this, and reminding herself that this might be the only chance they get to hang out like this, but it was definitely fun. And she does not really want to go.
Akari was absolutely on the same wavelength as her older friend: she didn't want to have to go their separate ways when they were done here, but she didn't really know what to suggest for them to keep hanging out. She would offer for them all to come to her apartment, but it was small, and she hadn't exactly picked up before heading out for today. On top of that, she thought that might be pushing it with what Uriel would be comfortable with.
With the tea pretty much gone now, Kaiya also knew that it was just about time for them to think about what they were going to do next. If Mariko and Akari hadn't been there, that probably would have meant going back to her place with everything she and Naoto had picked up for his custom clothing and bunny tail accessory, then doing a final measuring of the violinist. She believed the measurements he had sent from Devillic's official sizings, but there was always a chance of there being slight differences in measurements because of the tape being used, or the specific spot being measured, and *she* knew how close to perfect she could get on the first fitting if she used her own numbers. That said, she didn't think that would be at all interesting to her friends, nor was she sure that Naoto would be comfortable with doing that kind of thing with the other two around. Still.... "So... I guess we're just about done here. I'm not sure what you were planning to do, Fujita-san, Miyazaki-san, but I think our next stop was going to be my place?" She glanced at Naoto for confirmation, though she was certainly hoping he would help her lug all these bags home, if nothing else!
Yea, while Naoto enjoyed hanging out with Kaiya's friends -- there's been a low level of stress and tension not knowing how the situation was going to turn out when Takuya was done with it. So he does kind of think it's best they go their separate ways. "Yes, we should probably continue on with our plans... um, it was nice meeting everyone though."
Mariko is careful not to show her disappointment - made easy since it was honestly as expected, "It was wonderful to hang out -- I hope we can do it again sometime."
Kaiya was glad that she had left the invitation quite vague, allowing Naoto to make it clear that their outing was over. She definitely didn't blame him for that decision. Honestly, she was kind of relieved, since she felt kind of trapped between the desires of both sides here. This way *she* didn't have to tell her friends they had to split now. "I'm glad we all got to hang out too! We'll have to talk about meeting up for the festival, once I know if I can get tickets or not." Honestly, the getting of the tickets was a non-issue with her boyfriend literally fronting the band, but it was more about the timing... and she didn't want to make it seem like she had a lot of privileges due to dating Setsuna. She absolutely *did* in a lot of ways, but it just felt rude to rub her friends' noses in it.
Akari also swallowed her disappointment beneath her smile. "It certainly was!" She agreed with Mariko, "If there's a chance of doing this again, I totally want to know~" She added, trying not to seem too desperate. Desperate rarely got you the attention you wanted, after all. "And absolutely about the festival! We should check with the other girls and see if they're going too." Obviously it would be even more fun if they could all go together.
Naoto doesn't know what to say -- he's sure the band will be contacting the girls, probably through Kaiya at some point. Whether or not they can hang out again is not really up to him, and he gets that... in fact he thinks everyone kind of gets that. The ticket conversation doesn't involve him either. Kaiya can obviously get one if she wants one, and that's about it. He moves to the counter to pay for his things.
"I hope you can come," Mariko replies, just pure honesty. Kaiya is part of the group, and it would feel worse if she wasn't there for the concert.
Kaiya smiled happily at the genuine-seeming hope from her friends, but followed Naoto to the counter so she could pay for her items as well. Once they were all paid for and ready to go, she turned to the older girls. "Well, I guess I'll see you next Friday?" She said, since there was a planned meet up of most of their little group then. Hopefully by then she'd have some kind of answer as to what she could and could not tell these two about, and what the other restrictions might be, but either way, it wouldn't be a topic for the whole group, so it probably wouldn't matter too much.
"Yup~ Next Friday for sure~" Akari agreed with another, truly warm smile for her younger friend. She did hope that Kaiya and Naoto wouldn't get in too much trouble over everything, and that they wouldn't get locked down too tight on what could be known or talked about. She would respect whatever, obviously, but she could always hope for the best. She looked over at Mariko then, though, and suggested, "Guess it's time to head out?"
"Yes, I think so," Mariko agrees. At least she can go with Akari and gush about their amazing luck, even if it is sad they have to go. "See you later Kaiya-chan, it was very nice meeting you Uriel-san."
"Thanks for your help today, and your support," Naoto replies, the former a reference to the great button hunt, and the latter being about Devillic in general.
"Yes! It was so nice to meet you, Uriel-san! And you can definitely count on us for support!" Akari assured brightly, happy that they had been able to help, at least as much as just having been able to meet one of her idols. "Anyway~ See you later~" She said with a little wave, heading on out with Mariko, only dropping into quiet fangirling with the other woman once they were definitely out of earshot.
Kaiya beamed at her friends being so nice and sweet, then waved at them as they left. Once they were gone, she turned to Naoto and asked, "So... to my place so we can drop all these bags and I can finalize your measurements?"
"Uhh, yes," Naoto agrees, happy that Kaiya has a game plan and they can just go with it. He's still kind of anxious about what the band's decision on everything will be, but he doesn't feel like there's anything he can do about it so he tries not to focus on it.
Kaiya was of the same opinion: nothing they could do about the stuff with the band right now, so no point in dwelling on it and worrying. Much better to just get lost in fashion stuff. "Okay~ Let's head for the train, then~" She agreed, hefting the bags in her hands so that they could be on their way. As they walked, though, she asked, "So... how was it meeting some fans out in the wild?" She wasn't sure how often that kind of thing actually happened to the violinist when not near an actual venue.
"Hmm, it was very different than normal," Naoto has to admit. With his style he does get noticed somewhat. "Usually it's just like. be polite, thank them, and get out of the situation. But they were your friends so I've never had a situation like this before."
"Sorry... I know it was weird. Did you feel really awkward, though?" Kaiya asked, having thought that Naoto had done a good job pretending it wasn't too strange while it was happening. "I really do believe they won't tell anyone else, though. At least, not until you guys say they can." There was a chance that the other two would be allowed to say they had met 'Uriel', after all (since that wasn't too weird). It was more revealing the band's connections to herself, and vice versa, that would be issues she was sure.
Naoto, as is usual for him, takes time considering his answer, "I didn't feel awkward like, about them? Or with them? But it was awkward not knowing what was ok or what the band would say... if the band says it's ok and we can hang out again, then I don't think it would be too awkward? Although... it was weird being with you but having to be 'Uriel'." Hearing Kaiya call him by the name was mega weird.
"Oh good!" Kaiya replied with relief. "I'd feel bad if you'd felt weird and awkward the whole time, so I'm glad it wasn't like that." She explained, then nodded at Naoto's other thoughts. "Yeah... I agree, that part makes it weird. I haven't liked holding back with them, but it felt weirder to know they knew some stuff, but that I couldn't just be completely *open* about it all at the same time." That comment about his name, though, made the girl giggle. "Yeah, that was probably the weirdest thing. I don't think I've called you that since we literally met?" And that was just because she knew his stage name well at that point, and had only heard his real name a couple of times.
"I mean? I think I had a few chances to get out if I didn't want to? It was nice to get to meet your friends," Naoto explains, having definitely been curious about them. Friends of friends are a great way to get more friends, after all. Soon enough they're waiting on the train platform.
Kaiya nodded at Naoto's observations. She certainly had tried to give him a chance to get out of the situation if he wanted, so she was glad he felt the same way. Standing on the platform waiting for the train, she hoped it wouldn't be too crowded. With the number of bags they had between them, they would end up taking up a good bit of space, just the two of them. Would be much nicer to be able to get seats.
Kaiya agreeing makes Naoto feel like he'd successfully picked up on some social cues, which is nice. He's starting to really want to message Kenta as he doesn't usually go this long without doing so -- but knowing there's a spicy message waiting for him makes him not want to do it in such a public space.
Since they were very much now in public, and even moreso when they got on the not-too-crowded, but still rather full train, she let their conversation lapse into lighter, more fashion-oriented topics as they made their way toward the station nearest her apartment. Thankfully, it never got *so* crowded that they were squashed, and they were able to make their way off the train with all their bags intact. "Here we are~" She said as they got off at the station. "Mine and my brother's place isn't too far from here." She told the violinist, since this would be his first time at their apartment.
"Ok, please lead the way," Naoto replies, suddenly realizing he hadn't brought like... a gift. People usually bring a little gift when they're going to someone's house right? So the realization he hadn't brought anything makes his anxiety rise, although he doesn't bring it up. Thankfully the streets here are not so busy, and there's a fair amount of green space, "It seems like a nice area?"
Kaiya nodded at Naoto's observation about the area. "Mhm! It is! I think it's about the nicest place my brother and I have ever lived!" At least of the places she, personally, could remember, this was true. "My brother's agency subsidizes our apartment, though, so that's how we can live here." She added, knowing that there was no way they could normally afford a two bedroom place in an area like this on just her brother's modeling money and her sporadic commissions. Assuming Keiji would even let her put money in for their living arrangements. "Oh! And there's a bamboo forest nearby!" She advertised as they continued walking toward her building, which she could actually see now, not all that far away.
"Oh, I see," Naoto replies. He does have some concept of things not being easy for Kaiya and her brother, so it had been a little surprising to see such a nice residential area, but he's glad for them anyways. Nothing compared to the surprise the violinist shows at that last statement, "Huh? A Bamboo... forest?" The idea of there being anything that could be remotely called a forest in Tokyo is just mindblowing.
"Well.... it's called the bamboo forest, but it's more like a bamboo park with tended paths through it? But the shoots are so high you can't see any surrounding buildings unless you're at the edge, so it definitely feels like a forest when you're in there." Kaiya further explained, absolutely understanding why the name would make the attraction seem impossible. As they got closer she pointed out a somewhat older-looking building ahead. "We're almost there~"
"Oh, that sounds really nice," Naoto has to admit. Sounds like an amazing place to get high, which may be a weird thought for someone who has cut down on that a lot but whatever. he can kind of see some of those treetops, now that he thinks about it, but his attention is redirected to the older apartment building. It kind of reminds him of the building where Kenta is crashing, honestly. Older, but seemingly nevertheless well-cared for.
"Mhm~" Kaiya agreed. "You should go see it sometime!" She suggested, though not really including herself in that outing since she really wasn't at all sure what the fall out of the day's events would be. Obviously she'd still be able to hang out with Naoto, but maybe not *so* publicly. Until they knew for sure, better *not* to make plans. When they got to her building, she led the way up to her apartment, then unlocked the door and waved the violinist inside. She knew that Keiji was done with his shoot for the day, but she wasn't sure if he was actually home. Not seeing his shoes in the genkan, though, once she was inside, she figured he must have gone to see Mikoto instead. "Well, here we are!" She said, dropping the bags for the moment, relocking the door and moving to take her shoes off.
"I would like to," Naoto replies, happy to go there with Kaiya, or maybe drag Kenta along to see something so zen and cool sounding. Naoto says a polite 'ojamashimasu' as he enters the apartment and looks around. Nobody else's shoes in the genkan gives him a sense of relief - no one around to realize he'd forgotten to bring a present along. The decor seems simple but homey. He stops to take off his shoes, which take a little longer than a simpler pair of boots would. "Thank you for having me."
"Thank *you* for coming shopping, and for agreeing to let me double check your measurements!" Kaiya countered with a smile, then asked, "Would you like me to hang up your jacket? Or did you want to keep it on?" To keep the bills down, the siblings did tend to keep the apartment a little cooler, especially in the spring and fall when they didn't strictly need the heat on to keep them from freezing. And the jacket being part of Naoto's outfit, it really could go either way in her opinion. Of course, she would need him to take it off for measurements, but that wasn't just yet. "Also, would you like some water?" She was really trying to be a good hostess.
"Thank you for agreeing to make an outfit for me," Naoto replies, smiling in gentle amusement. They could keep on going with the thanks, really. It's just such a mutually beneficial situation. It isn't terribly warm in the apartment, so he admits, "I think I'll keep it on for now, and yes, some water would be nice. Thanks." Finally freed of his boots, he steps up into the apartment proper and looks around, not really sure where he ought to go.
With the acceptance of the offer of water, Kaiya made for the kitchen without really thinking about the fact that this was Naoto's first time in the apartment and wouldn't know where anything (except the obvious living room) would be. When she came out with two glasses of water, she noticed the slightly lost look. "Oh! I guess I should give you a tour, huh?" She realized belatedly. "Ummm... this is the living room, obviously." She said while handing the water to her friend. "And that's the kitchen, where I just was."
Just because Naoto's in the living room doesn't, in his mind, immediately give him permission to say, sit and relax on the sofa. So he's very much still standing, trying to decide what to do when Kaiya returns with a glass of water. "Oh, sure, yes please." He says, to the notion of the tour, accepting a glass of water and having a sip though.
Having received that affirmative, Kaiya continued with her mini-tour, "And that door, there, leads to the bathroom. The door to my brother's room is through the kitchen. And.... that's my room over there." She said, pointing at the final visible door. "And that's basically it!" She finished with a smile. "Did you want to sit in here for a bit? Or you can come in my room instead?" She offered tentatively, not sure about the violinist's comfort level with being in a girl's bedroom. Sure, he had a boyfriend, and she had a boyfriend, and he was in a band with her boyfriend, but that didn't mean he would be comfortable in her bedroom with her. So, she wanted to offer, rather than just assume.
Naoto doesn't have any issue going to Kaiya's room, he just isn't sure what would be best for their purposes. So he suggests, "Um.. whichever is best for you?" He doesn't see any sewing stuff in the living room but maybe it's just squared away when not in use.
"Well, all my sewing stuff is in my room, but I can grab my measuring tape and bring it anywhere. But.... if you wanna see some of the other stuff I've made, it would be in there." Kaiya responded, not thinking either was exactly better for her, but still preferring her room just because.
The violinist definitely does have some interest in seeing his friend's other works, and the space she works in, and it sounds like Kaiya is at the very least ok with the idea, so he nods, "Then, let's go to your room?"
"Okay!" Kaiya agreed brightly, then led the way into her room. With the incredible help of her boyfriend, there was now a good little collection of plushies (pokemon being the most predominant of them) on her nicely made bed. Other than that, her room held a sewing machine that folded away to be a decent enough desk for her to also do her homework at. Next to that was a dressform that had been found secondhand, but was actually adjustable in size, which she absolutely adored. There was nothing on it just now, as she'd been intending to adjust it to match Naoto that day, so she would have had to remove any current projects anyway. The last piece of furniture in the room was a small chest of drawers to hold her undergarments and some of her clothing. Most of her clothes were in the closet. "Okay, let me get my tape measure..." She said, going to one of the drawers in the sewing table to get it.
Naoto takes in the room, being made really happy by the plushies. Kaiya always seems so much more mature than her age and it's nice to see a sort of girl-ish side to her. "Sure," He agrees, having another sip of water while he drinks.
It didn't take long for Kaiya to find what she was looking for since her sewing table was quite well organized. Once she had it in hand, she said, "Okay, *now* I'll need you to take off your jacket so I can get proper measurements. Actually... if you can strip down as far as you're comfortable, that would work best." She added, not wanting to say that in his underwear would be best, but that really was what she meant. Still, she could work with him wearing everything but the jacket, so whatever he went with, she would make work.
The violinist nods, and while one may expect his shyness to cause issues here - well he doesn't like girls that way, apparently, and he has had more than a few fittings for the band so this is relatively normal for him. He strips down into his heat-tech on top, and some thermal tights that had been under his entire outfit, leaving him both well covered and technically in underwear - at least undergarments.