2022-05-16: Here we are in a warm sea; look up and breathe
- Log: 2022-05-16: Here we are in a warm sea; look up and breathe
- Cast: Ranka Lee, Emilia Eschonbach
- Where: Ashford Academy, Nagoya, Area 11
- OOC - IC Date: 15 May, 0096
- Summary: In Area 11 for an advertising opportunity, Ranka takes the opportunity to visit Emilia at school. Emilia is confronted with kindness that hurts too much to refuse.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Area 11 isn't a simple thing to get access to for a non-Britannian citizen. It takes an extensive amount of back and forth with various bureaucracies in order to get approval to cross in, then a final check at airport customs. In Ranka's case, she didn't have to do much of that part herself, she sent some documents to Elmo who did all the rest, because the simplest way to get in is through a work visa. Right now Vector Industries had various advertising contracts both Earthside and in Space, which meant that Ranka would eventually need access to fulfill some of her obligations.
As a fortunate side effect of this she'll get to visit Emmy while she's in the area for work!
>be there soon <3<3<3
She squishes on her Osanshoo-san phone as a bored middle-aged Britannian bureaucrat announces. "Next in line." Ranka happily moved ahead, as he made a gesture with his hand, "Papers please." As she handed them over, he looked her up, then down. Then he looked over the papers. "A space rat wants to scurry into my province I take it?" Ranka blinks her eyes in confusion at the insult, then swallows her frustration over it, "Yes sir. I'm from the Frontier colony and seeking admission on a work visa."
Looking over the papers with only a superficial glance. He eventually picked up one stamp, and struck it down. ENTRY DENIED "But... why?" "As if we need your kind of filth stirring up more dissidence..." "But, I have to report to work tomorrow!" "If you'd like the form to appeal my decision - that line is over there." As he vaguely gestures, Ranka looks to the long winding line with a sense of despondence. "Alright." "Form 27B." He notes aloud in a condescending tone. Looking like she's about to cry, she fled to the back of that separate line.
>ran into a little trouble should be fine! looking forward to seeing you
~Hours later~
ENTRY DENIED "What happened? I filled out form 27B... I even included extra references." "Wrong form." "But t-this is the one you said...!"
>might be a little longer!!! it should be fine though :D
~Hours later~
An image of Elmo a bespectacled Half-Zentradi man with purple hair is displayed from her phone in dogeza, on his hands and knees. "Please! I'm begging you. Vector Industries needs her in Area 11 immediately to meet our obligations. Can't we work something out?"
ENTRY DENIED
>sorry sorry im so sorry just a little more time
~Hours later~
"You again? How dim can some mixed blood vermin be? Don't you realize by now that you are wasting your - and more importantly my time?""
Ranka levels her gaze at him, then squishes Osanshoo-san off speaker and onto display. Appearing from her phone was an image of a woman with a short black bob cut and piercing eyes. "Are you the man responsible for these delays?" "I am-" Immediately the display of Erina Kinjo Won catapulted to mere millimeters from his face, barking mad as the man recoiled and was bowled off of his seat by the auditory barrage that followed, "AND ARE YOU AWARE THAT VECTOR INDUSTRIES IS A SUBSIDIARY OF NERGAL HEAVY INDUSTRIES?"
The man climbed halfway back up, thoroughly ruffled, "N-No I-" Only to be met by a new broadside which felled him again. "HOW UNSURPRISING! YOU WOULD BE AWARE OF THIS IF YOU ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO READ MISS LEE'S PAPERWORK! I SUPPOSE COMPETENCE IS TOO MUCH TO EXPECT OF SOMEONE IN YOUR POSITION!"
Erina's display suddenly backs off, as she coughs into her hand, allowing the man to get back up into his seat. "Now then. Nergal Heavy Industries has a reputation for fulfilling all of its contractual responsibilities, and takes pride in our punctuality in doing so for all of our clients. If you will not grant her admission in a timely manner for her to meet those obligations that would be a blemish on our company's record - as such I will have no alternative other than to start taking action to rectify the situation." A beat, "And I should inform you before matters escalate further that I have the undersecretary of your agency on speed dial."
ENTRY APPROVED
As she climbs into the provided transportation within Nagoya, Ranka looks weak from sheer relief, "Thank you. Thank you so much Miss Won!" "Happy to help clear up matters. Don't think your talent... or your work ethic is going unnoticed Miss Lee. Good luck out there."
Ranka Lee smiled, then her curiosity gets the better of her... "Did you really have the Undersecretary on speed dial?" Erina smiles and puts a finger to her lips, "It would have taken me a little effort to get his number, but only a little. The value of a small bluff to make self-important men sweat is immeasurable."
~Now~
The vehicle pulls up Ashford Academy, and Ranka looks out, astounded. "And I thought my school was big." Climbing out, she waves at the driver. "I'll see you at the hotel later!"
>im here! coming!!!
She was supposed to arrive relatively early in the morning, by now it's late afternoon, but she is still here on the weekend. Right now she's wearing a pink beret with a small red bow, a pink dress with a bow at the bustline, a pair of black tights, and pink flats. She has a blue messenger bag in one hand with precious cargo within (After Erina chewed them out - they were not so eager to search it. What would she have done had she gotten in right away? It's a mystery~). As she starts following the text messaged directions, she spies a student council election poster that catches her eye.
Suddenly her hair lifts on both sides in surprise as she puts a hand over her mouth. "I didn't realize... she sounded like she didn't..." Ruminating on it as she walks, "...does she have a dream to become an idol now too?"
Arriving at the campus gardens, her eyes are buried into her phone, "So I take a left here..." She passes right by Emilia, before suddenly backpeddling, leaning back and looking in her direction, "Emilia!" She says excitedly as she increases her pace into a fast walk up to her, "I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to get here."
Clasping her hands together over the handle of the bag, she gives a very Japanese bow of apology. She doesn't really know the custom here, she's just spent a lot of time in Japan lately.
"Please forgive me."
[Entertainment] Lilith Aiden> i've figured out why I like Wing
[Entertainment] Lilith Aiden> it's very spy thriller?
[Entertainment] Lilith Aiden> hard to explain why
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia had not expected to get a message from Ranka, after dropping completely off the radar after the concert. She was more surprised to hear she was visiting. She had nothing on on Sundays, and classes were under control. With some nervousness, she agreed.
he gardens on Sunday morning were nice. Everyone else tended to have gone out, so it was only a few students. Quietly, Emilia tapped away at her laptop, working on schoolwork. Then she got the second text. Well, Ranka's trying to be an idol, it's not that strange something should come up.
>Understood. See you soon.
About an hour later she was starting to lose hope. By two hours after that, her old school laptop was running out of battery. With a dejected sigh, Emilia gathered her things.
'It's fine,' she thought to herself. 'She has important things to do, surely. I shouldn't be distracting her from that.'
And then the third text. Was she really still trying? She was probably just making her feel better.
>Okay.
She was in the library now, just to avoid being in her room. She'd finished her school work, and had started looking in the modern history section. Surely there was something. The fourth text arrived. She was definitely just placating her now. Trying to give her hope that she'll make it, even though she wouldn't. Fortunately, Emilia already knew hope hurts.
>It's fine.
It was late afternoon now, and she couldn't find many more excuses to stay out of her room. Her prepaid phone buzzes again. She's already composed an 'It's okay, don't worry about it' message, ready to send. She was used to this. She flips her phone open and-
>>im here! coming!
Emilia blinked. Really? She was actually here? Hurriedly, Emilia grabbed her things and made for the gardens. Apparently she has enough hope to want this not to be a prank.
She's not particularly winded, but she does have the impression of someone who exerted herself to get back in time, only for Ranka to walk right past her, nose in her phone before she turns back and gets her attention. Emmy almost looks a little disbelieving. "You... made it." She blinks a few times. "You really..." She trails off, shaking her head. A little happiness creeps into her heart, even if her face isn't ready to show it. "It's... It's okay. You're here."
She's not used to people following through yet.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka smiles her way as she steps forward, "I really made it. I had some..." Ranka's a bit afraid to tell the truth as to why she had problems. She doesn't want to say anything badly about her first impression of the place where Emilia is living. So she decides to tell the truth, just maybe not the uglier parts of it.
However, Emilia might notice just that subtle hitch in her voice, the way she looks away briefly. "... problems at customs. But it finally got smoothed over."
Ranka perhaps feels that small surge of emotion, which by itself helps to push past any fatigue she might be feeling right now from a full day at the airport and emotional exhaustion she's been through, and takes a step forward. She's not making physical contact or anything - she seems to have realized it was awkward for Emilia, even when used to try to console. "I'm just glad I'm getting to spend some time with you. Your school is nice. I saw that you were running for treasurer! I'm impressed!"
She's absolutely not immediately asking the question at the forefront of her mind...
doyouwanttosingdoyouwanttosingdoyouwanttosing
... but it's definitely there...
"I don't think I could ever run for the Student Council at my school. How have you been feeling?"
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Oh... customs. Of course. Of course Britannia would treat Ranka like that. Anger flares up in her heart for a moment. It's a hot, violent thing. One she tries to smother. That's not fair to Ranka either, Ranka's gentle. Soft. Not (Just) like her.
"They can be difficult even for Britannians." She's try to keep up the face of the beat down Britannian girl. Not bold enough to have dissenting opinion. Still, Emmy is surprised again when Ranka says she's glad to spend time, despite that being... the whole reason she's visiting.
"...It can be. But it... It's... got lots of..." She stumbles over the phrasing, before deciding "...rich people." Another term associated with despair and anger in Emilia's head. And then... embarrassment. Awkwardness. A tiny shred of optimism. "Oh um... M-Milly nominated me..."
She looks away, blushing slightly. "She made the posters, too. Using pictures from club." She's not actually embarrassed of those. More... flattered. But positive emotions are hard. And then comes the hard question.
"...I um... Grandfather... grounded me. For seeing the concert." Hurt, fear, disdain. "And then when the Behemoth attacked... I think I caught something in the shelter." A long pause. "I got... really sick after that. The flu." Loneliness, sadness, and then a hint of warmth and brightness that might as well be blinding on Emmy's usual scale. "I'm mostly recovered now, but I... need to take it easy. And then I need to look at work."
She doesn't put much spin on that, so few people ask who care. And Ranka... clearly cares. Emmy still doesn't know why, but... She wants to be Ranka's friend. Is it just cause she's from space, like her father? Or is it because she likes Ranka? "...How are you?" She asks, indicating a bench. It might be a good idea to sit.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
The spike of anger from Emilia makes Ranka worry for a second there, though she seems to realize it's not directed at her. While she still thinks she made the right call not saying everything... it helps her understand that perhaps Emilia wouldn't have been upset with her for it. "It did seem that way. It was an... interesting experience."
That part is no lie either, it is an interesting experience for Ranka to encounter racism at all. She's not used to it from her time on the Frontier which was mostly disconnected from Earthsphere politics and culture. Her first experience came from a Zentradi rebel... and now... from Britannians. While it's upsetting, it does at least make her feel like she understands some of the sentiments she's heard of Spacenoids and Earthlings both.
Ranka does give her a sympathetic look though when she mentions rich people, "I understand... how that can be. I actually went to a rather expensive girl's school back on the Frontier originally, and I thought - this is still twice the size. But I transferred out... I was ah... The rules there didn't allow me to work towards being an idol while attending. Honestly it was a bit of a relief..." A finger curls by her chin in a gesture of awkwardness, "...we really couldn't afford it."
Her Brother did it anyway just because he wanted a safe environment for her but... all the same.
The embarrassment though... Ranka's head tilts... and the explanation, "Oh. That makes sense." She takes a moment to think about it, "But I think she wouldn't nominate you if she didn't believe in you. I have friends like that - well maybe not quite um - like Milly. They encouraged me to leave my comfort zone, and take a step towards my dreams."
Ranka does rub the nape of her neck, right under the ribbon she wears there. "I saw the pictures. You looked like you really fit the role of an idol! Though..." Dropping her hand, she gives her a genuinely curious look, "... that did make me wonder, are you interested in singing Emilia?"
Emilia speaks of her Grandfather, and those feelings cause Ranka's expression to harden in solidarity. Ozma certainly tried to ground her after Miss Macross. "Why did he ground you?" 'the Behemoth attacked', Ranka's eyebrows shoot up, and she looks genuinely fretful, "I'm so sorry. I've been in that position before in a shelter. I can't imagine what it'd be like being sick in one."
'Need to take it easy.' "Let's find someplace for us to sit down while we talk." Ranka says as she spies a marble bench, and claims it decisively by putting her bag beside it. She used 'us' because she didn't want Emilia to be embarrassed by thinking she was only finding her one for her sake. "Are you looking for a job? I've been working since I started high school, so maybe I can offer some advice."
The question of 'How are you?' is a complicated one. "I'm okay I think. I've been all over now for advertising jobs. Though I had a few ah... rough days on the job. Someone who tried to bully me while I was on the job..." 'Bully' is putting it mildly when it comes to Yuliana Dispersal, as for the other rough day? Well... we don't talk about Starlight Natto, "... Sheryl held a concert in this ... place called Tsutsujidai which got attacked by Vajra and two Kaiju." Ranka looks briefly abstracted, "That was a strange day."
I almost died again.
Trying to snap herself out of it, she puts her hands together and focuses on the positive, "But I think I'm making progress...! At this rate Elmo thinks I might even debut before the end of the year - maybe! He's even negotiating me a part in a movie right now."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy's quiet about the talk of an interesting experience. She does however nod at being at girls schools. "Grandfather sent me to... schools like that. I've been to plenty of them." There are implications there, but she's trying not to let Ranka see them. "Do you like... your new school?" The idea of being able to transfer out is one she's never had. And Ashford is the first school she wouldn't want to.
"...I hope so." There's a lot of belief in Milly, and fear of betraying that belief. Maybe... she needs to take steps there. "O-oh, that was... Rosalie... she thought it would be cute and..." Emmy trails off again, as the words trail out. Was she interested in singing? That's a question that's hard to answer. It takes her a few moments, her mouth working silently.
"I didn't even... know I could like music. Before. Before that concert. ...on the liner." It was the first time she'd heard any music, really. "But...I... I c-can't..." Her mouth starts to lock up, the word doesn't want to come out. She doesn't want to upset Ranka. She doesn't want to admit to herself that she wants to do something she can't, and never could. "...I have trouble... speaking... using words. I f-freeze. You've... seen it." She knows Ranka has. "I..." She drifts off again.
Thankfully, Ranka offers an off ramp. This is something she can talk. "...I got caught. Going to the concert. That's why." She looks down. "...He hates me, and I did... something he didn't allow." She follows Ranka to the bench, sitting down. There's a lot there. She doesn't really talk about Behemoth yet. She moves to jobs. "...I have two. He doesn't know, and... the school doesn't ask." Why is she trusting Ranka so much with this?
(Because she reached out, and you have desperately wanted a friend for so, so long.)
"But... one of them was... using a mobile worker. At the docks. The docks were destroyed. And the other... doesn't have enough shifts." Britannian minimum wage is notoriously low. "I need to look." Finally she listens to Ranka's own comments. The bullying makes her hurt and angry again, on Ranka's behalf. "Thats... cruel." She can see why people would bully her, but not the sweet girl next to her.
And then the helplessness of Kaiju and something else in a strange place. "Were... were you hurt?" And then she blinks several times as Ranka claps her hands together, then nods. "I hope so. I want... I want to see your debut. And anything else I can..." She needs to do more to support Ranka, doesn't she? She still doesn't know what it is. "More people should hear your feelings..." That song, and that comment, had a big effect on young Emilia it seems.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Emilia's Grandfather comes up again, and Ranka files that away. Why did Emilia leave those schools? What happened? Though she speaks first on her school. "Saint Maria's was... restrictive. And... other people looked at me like I was stuck up, just for wearing their uniform. I definitely prefer Mihoshi. They have a Vocal Arts program that's been helping me a lot."
Ranka imagines someone dressing Emilia up as an idol, "You do look very cute! Did you like it?" Ranka found that dressing up as an idol for Miss Macross definitely helped with her confidence.
However then she confides on singing, and Ranka's expression softens. That was the impression she had gotten before on Emilia's budding relationship with music, she'd mostly wondered if it was a dream she'd recently developed. "Even in private? Even when noone is listening but you?" Ranka asks gently, though she tables continuing that for a moment as Emilia speaks about her Grandfather.
"He hates you?" Ranka's eyes flutter in surprise...
Isn't it obvious, darling? I hate you! People like you,are just a mistake
"... I don't know what his reason is. But it can't be anything good." Ranka's fingernails suddenly dig into her palms, "He sounds like a bully. He shouldn't forbid you from doing the things you love!" She says with no small amount of heat for someone ordinarily so gentle.
While Ozma and Ranka's relationship is nowhere near as bad as Emilia's and her Grandfather - she can certainly sympathize with being forbidden by someone in power over you, punished for doing it anyway.
As she speaks on her jobs though, Ranka smiles, "You're a hard worker, Emilia." She puts a finger up to her lips, "It'll be our secret." Though then her eyes turn up, "Though hmmm... finding a job while you're having trouble speaking to other people is hard..." What can Emilia do? Ranka stares at her face - and something clicks, "Have you considered becoming a Makeup artist? Yours is always so beautifully done whenever I see it..."
Ranka just nods when she says it's cruel, and there's a shiver. Before... she looks distant at the next question, "I... almost was. There was a Kaiju right next to me... then I fell..." The way she trails off, it's like she has difficulty talking about it. Though her warmth returns when Emilia says she wants to see her debut, "I want you to be there." She says with all sincerity. Though... 'more people should hear your feelings...' suddenly she comes back around to something Emilia just said that's very important to her, that she can't just let... slide. That she has to at least try to address.
"Emilia... about your trouble speaking... I struggle too, maybe not completely in the same ways... but..." She pauses, then distant again, like before when she was talking about the Kaiju and how she almost got hurt, "... I have no memory before I was five. The doctors call it dissociative amnesia. When I came into my older brother's care... I couldn't speak. I could barely function. It took me... a long while to be able to talk at all... and longer to get comfortable speaking again."
She turns back to Emmy, those red eyes of hers trying to be understanding of her plight, "I always wanted to sing though. My only memory before from before then is... a song. But... I never sang for anyone but myself. Not until only a few months before I met you."
She takes a deep breath, these are not happy memories, "And then I was in a shelter during an attack on the colony. The ventilation system was down, and I thought... I was going to die. And noone was going to know it. I just thought if my voice could reach someone... then maybe I'd be saved. So I thought... maybe I could try singing for other people to hear... but I kept getting discouraged, because... I felt it was impossible for me."
Ranka ends her story right there, because at the moment, she's trying not to be focused on herself, she's trying to reach out to Emmy with her own experiences. "If you want to sing Emilia. Even if it's only for yourself to hear, even if you think it's impossible for you... then I want to help you find your voice."
She was hesitant before, but now she places her hand over the back of one of Emilia's in just a gentle touch, "Because it's not just my own feelings that I want heard."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia gives a slow nod. She could relate to that, a little. Assuming she was a spoiled brat because of her name. "That's good. Finding a school that you like." That's speaking from experience on her part too. She flushes a little red, but Ranka can feel the happiness even if the girl doesn't seem to smile. "...Yeah. It's um... It's what we do in Fantasy Seduction Club." She pauses, hoping she hasn't scandalized Ranka since, well, apparently most schools don't have that club. "It's... a place I feel good."
"Y-yes. Even before-" Emmy cuts herself off. That's too much. Too sore, too deep, too violent an emotional wound. Instead she looks down at her hands, fidgeting a little as Ranka comments, but she doesn't say anything this time, simply nodding. It's all a bit heavy for her, and she must be ruining Ranka's day by bringing it up in the first place.
Emmy shakes her head. "I need them... to pay cash. Or he'll find out." That does lower her options. "No, um. No paper trail." She sighs, knowing it makes life harder. "Freelance makeup... doesn't work for that." She takes a few moments. "Thank you... for trying. And the compliment."
And then she listens, and she is quickly rapt by Ranka's story. She stares a bit, a little stunned. You can go through such harshness and be as nice and as gentle as Ranka? Someone who can dream of nice things, not just violence?
But Ranka's last sentences... She wants to help? After everything she's gone to... She wants to help... There's anger there, old, wounded anger. But matching for once is that desperate desire to say yes. Ranka's been nothing but kind. Nothing but supportive. Emilia doesn't deserve it. Ranka shouldn't have to lower herself to Emilia's level. What if she's not capable of accepting Ranka's help. What if she sees through her? What if... What if......
When Ranka's hands touches hers, she shivers a little but doesn't pull away. The part of her that desperately wants this, friendship, support, touch, won't let her. Milly wouldn't let her pull away either.
And then the tears roll down her face, too paralyzed by her doubts and fears and anger and sadness to answer one way or the other. She tilts her head down. She doesn't want anyone else to see. They already know she's weak, she doesn't want to give the other students any more reason to kick her when she's down.
But she's not moving away. She's not running, even though a part of her thinks she should.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka can't help it, her hair lifts for a moment and expression is surprised as she names the club as the 'Fantasy Seduction Club'. However, the context seems to sink in after a moment. She was dressed as an idol after all. That's not what she'd usually associate with a sexy club. While she goes pink from the tip of her nose to her cheeks, "You looked cute. If it helped you feel good ... then you should definitely keep going!"
She'll just try not to make any more assumptions of the name until she knows more because gosh. Emilia is not someone she considers that bold, so she can't imagine her doing anything /untoward/ at a club.'
Ranka gives Emilia a look as if she were going to ask, 'before what?' ... however the emotional cadence of the moment strikes deep within her. It's too much for Emilia. She just knows it. Perhaps she'd know it even without that instinct of hers, that strange seventh sense that Yuliana hates her for. So she just watches her for a while, and waits... trying to figure out how to handle this situation.
The conversation moves on to her work though, which is likely a relief for Emlia, yet Ranka still is thinking of how she felt before. "You're welcome. Hmmm..." Ranka's eyes look straight up, seeming genuinely concerned about Emilia's work situation, "...that really is a problem. I've never done any jobs that were like that. Hopefully you can find a workaround..."
As the conversation moves on to offering up her own experiences in an attempt to offer assistance to Emilia... she can feel the emotions in Emilia welling up, but it is the tears that truly does Ranka in. Scooting close on the marble bench, she keeps one hand over hers, and places her other arm around her. For a while she just holds her there and lets her cry. Offering herself to Emilia in this vulnerable moment, just the comfort of knowing she's there.
And after a moment, words do come. Though not so much in the words that Emilia might expect from someone trying to comfort someone in such a moment. They come melodically, in something that's akin to a lullaby in how quietly she sings it, because in this moment it's only for Emilia and she doesn't want anyone to overhear. Sharing something that comforts her in moments where she's feeling awful, and vulnerable...
"Aimo aimo nedel lushe
"Noina miria endel prodea
"Photomi."
"Here we are in a warm sea: look up and breathe."
"Lulei luleia
"Skylarks soar like lapping waves over me.
"Lulei luleia
"You are the gentle child of all greenery."
"Aimo aimo nedel lushe
"Noina miria endel prodea
"Photomi."
"Here we are in a warm sea: look up and breathe."
The song itself transcends language, though one would be hard pressed to understand why. It is a song meant to be felt, meant to bring ease. Meant to convey the intangible and make them tangible. As she finishes singing it, there is a subtle glow in the bag that she brought with her, before... that too vanishes.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia is kinda naive in many ways. What seems normal to her isn't to lots of people. But she is definitely finding people don't know what to expect from the club. But ultimately, the other topics of conversation drift away.
While the tears never become full sobs, Emilia cries a little more loudly when Ranka puts her arm around her. She's sure people are watching. The rumour mill will be talking and her bullies will find a way to use it. She shouldn't be letting Ranka ruin her chances by associating with her.
But something's different here.
When Ranka starts singing, she leans against the other girl a little, closing her eyes as best she can through the tears. She doesn't know what the words mean, or what language they are. She can't really explain the emotion, but slowly the crying stops, and her breathing settles. Her messy emotions calm and settle. It's familiar, but the memory is too knotted in pain to bring to the surface today.
And she's so tired now. She pulls herself carefully off of leaning on Ranka, but doesn't pull away from Ranka's hands. She's taking a few moments, to see if she can make her voice, her words work. Apparently all that took a lot out of her, but she tries to give Ranka a grateful look.
<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.
Ranka can feel the embarrassment, the mortification. It's hard, she knows how hard it can be to think the whole world is watching you. To want to slink away into private and not put yourself out there for them to pick apart and destroy.
It is why she's sang by herself for years now.
When Emilia leans against her as she sings, she rubs her back, feeling her emotions start to settle. It's why she wanted to share, as she felt it might help her.
When Emilia pulls herself off of leaning against her, she keeps her hand around hers. She has has more tissues in her bag, but she doesn't want to let go right now.
She gives Emilia time to talk, seeing that look, and she offers her a smile even as she's having trouble getting her words out. She gives her time, but then eventually asks...
"Do you want to go somewhere more private, like your room?"
She asks after a moment, requiring nothing but a nod, or a shake of the head. Wanting her only to feel comfortable, "I was supposed to go back to my hotel tonight but..."
As Ranka tries to gently make her offer to stay with her, keep her company, "... I don't really want to. You don't have to say a thing, unless you want to either."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Talking is definitely hard right now. She's very overwhelmed right now. It takes her a long time to respond, to work how to respond. Her mind races... She's still only 15 but... Ranka's not like that, is she? She doesn't think like that. Emmy still blushes, though, the colour returning to her cheeks. Still... She shouldn't. She gets ready to shake her head-
And finds herself nodding instead, despite herself, and her doubts. She's not sure it's okay but... There's no harm in going to her room, is there? She gives a second, firmer nod, as if to reassure herself. "...I'd... like that." Her voice is so very quiet. But... she needs to actually make sure Ranka knows that she actually... wants it.
It takes her a few more minutes to stand up, then points toward the dorms. She's not going to make Ranka take her hands away, though. Even though she thinks she should.