2023-01-25: Rekindling a Promise's Light

• Cast: Koji Kabuto, Sayaka Yumi
• Where: Fujinomiya City - Boss Ramen
• Date: U.C. 0097 01 25
• Summary: Koji and Sayaka reunite after the return of Tsutsujidai to realspace, and go on their first date, reminding themselves to stay connected to the world they've sworn to protect and rediscover the joys they found in their youth.

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<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

Four days ago: Tsutsujidai was hauled out of the emotional void it had fallen into through no small amount of Gutsy Galaxy Guard experimental science, recklessness, and straight-up heroism.

Three days ago: Koji checked in from Orbit Base, a mixture of tired and relieved but, importantly, alive and not horribly injured, though he does report the loss of an Ichinana.

It is now January 25th, and Koji is sitting in Boss Ramen, fidgeting. He's wearing a lilac shirt but with the collar undone and some nice new jeans - 'putting an effort in' but still casual.

"It's been a while since I've seen you this nervous, Koji!" Boss chortles. "To think, a man with over a hundred kikaiju kills could barely sit still over something like this!"

"Boss, quit it," Koji exhales. "I haven't seen her in over a month and we made a promise before I left, I just - I don't want to screw this up."

"Koji. Relax. It's just a date. Even if you do screw it up, you and Sayaka have been through worse than one bad date, and I'm sure she's just as nervous about seeing you again as you are."

"... Thanks, Boss. I think."

"No problem! Two House Specials, coming up." The big man winks, heading back behind the counter. Koji lets out another breath, sitting back in the booth and forcing himself to not fidget.

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

Ever since Tsutsujidai vanished out of space, the Photon Power Labs have been through a lot, including a kikaiju attack and the return of Dr. Hell as a... philanthropist. But even with Tsutsujidai returned to reality, and along with it, Koji Kabuto, today's meeting is not about those things.

Remembering that promise they made a month and a half ago, Sayaka eagerly steps through the entrance to Boss Ramen.

Wearing a nice pink blouse and a long skirt to match it, Sayaka rushes to take the seat at Koji's table, excitement and pure relief clearly overpowering whatever feelings of nervousness she might have.

"Koji! This is where I would say 'thank god you're okay', or something like that, but... I already knew that. You promised." She grins.

And then she scans the outfit - it's a step above "shorts and t-shirt" while not being so extreme as 'the suit he wears at work'. "You look.. really nice tonight, Koji." Sayaka compliments, a certain hint of genuine in her tone.

Sayaka notes Boss and the gang heartily cooking up the two House Specials, and her voice quiets a tone. "No doubt we both have a lot to talk about. And we will, but - there's only one thing I want to talk about right now." She smiles - leaving Koji to pick up the obvious conclusion as always.

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

Koji still looks quite tired, come to look at him again - four days of debriefs and catching up on Earth Sphere news will do that to you - but his whole face lights up when he sees Sayaka come in, as much relieved to see her as she is to see him. "Yeah. What kind of man would I be if I left myself unable to keep a promise?" He smiles. "I missed you, Sayaka. You look great too."

Sayaka alludes to the things he's seen on news reports from Orbit Base and Koji's face clouds for a moment. "Yeah. We do have lots to talk about, but - not tonight. Tonight..." no putting it off, Koji, you promised. "... tonight we should talk about us."

He swallows and pushes forwards. "How long has it been since we went on a proper date, Sayaka?" He thinks about it; something he hasn't really done. "... It was Axis, wasn't it?" He sighs. "Yeah, that makes sense."

He shakes it off. "Well. How about we fix that tonight? We can get dinner here, and spend the evening just... walking around the city. Seeing things from ground level for a change, instead of the lofty perch of the New Lab or a cockpit." He grins.

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

Noticing how much Koji's face lights up, Sayaka's grin only grows wider. "If you didn't, I'd never forgive you." Sayaka teases. "But... I really missed you, too." She adds, heartfelt.

Sayaka's heart picks up pace when Koji finally makes good on that promise. "Yeah... exactly."

Sayaka's had far too much on her mind to remember how long it's been since they went on a date. But Axis Shock... that really does put it into perspective. "Then it's been three years, huh? It doesn't feel so long, but at the same time, yeah, it does make sense." It was Axis Shock when things began taking a turn for the worse. And from all the recent news, it really hasn't been getting better by a long shot, but despite that...

"I never thought you'd ask. But yes, I'd love that, Koji." Her tone suggests "god, finally". But she's smiling.

"I've always been so focused on what needs to be done, that I always forget what a nice view Fujinomiya has. Let's make good on that for once."

An approving thumbs-up from Boss, as the House Specials are almost ready. He won't embarrass them too much tonight... but a little bit is definitely fine.

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

Koji grins as Sayaka accepts the invitation and the simplicity of the date. "... Then we can get started." He gives Boss a glare but it's tempered with a smile - the big guy's support means a lot to him, after all.

"I know it's not a fancy idea for a date or anything, but... I thought it would be best to keep things simple for picking things back up." He leans forward and whispers "Shiro had to remind me to Keep It Simple, Stupid." He chuckles.

"Oh!" He reaches into the pocket of his jacket, folded up next to him on the booth seat, and hands over a square box three inches across. "It's a month late, but... Merry Christmas, Sayaka."

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

"Yes! Oh, but first.. let's eat!" Sayaka declares, once the House Specials are ready. Boss Ramen is always best enjoyed with people you like, but it's been a seriously long time since it was Koji she shared it with. So she immediately digs in.

"It doesn't need to be fancy. It brings me back to when we just rode our bikes everywhere when we were kids, don't you think?" Being a major public figure has its perks, but constantly needing to be somewhere and getting there fast isn't one of them.

Koji's whisper also brings a laugh out of Sayaka. "You can definitely trust him on that one. We'll save the really big dates for after, right?"

And then Koji takes out the square box, which Sayaka accepts. She almost wants to open it right away, but first... "Merry Christmas, Koji." It would've been nice to spend it together, but that just means she's going to step up her game next year. "You want me to open it?"

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

"Yeah, let's dig in. Letting the House Special get cold should be a crime." He chuckles, cracking apart his chopsticks.

"... Getting the bikes out... That's a plan too." He grins. "Man, this really is like shaking the cobwebs off, y'know? Remembering and revisiting the good bits of the old days... there's something in that, I think. Something to look forward to!" He smiles genuinely.

"... Yeah, you can open it now if you want." There's those nerves again.

The box contains two discs about the size of dog tags, each with a loop of red fabric wound through a hole in the top. One of the coins is engraved with Mazinger Z's visage, the other with Aphrodite Areia's. "I made these as a pair when I was stuck in Tsutsujidai, on Christmas Eve. Check the backsides."

The Mazinger Z one's reverse is inscribed with characters reading 'to Sayaka from Koji', and the Aphrodite Areia coin's is inscribed with 'For Sayaka'.

"I was wearing the Aphrodite one in Tsutsujidai, kind of like a lucky charm." He's blushing, a little. "That way it was kinda like you were with me the whole time."

<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.

"Really." Sayaka agrees, that it's like dusting off the cobwebs. "Returning back to the fight was one thing. But I missed all of this too." She smiles. "Guess I was too stubborn to actually press it myself."

Opening the box, Sayaka carefully takes out the two coins, placing them next to each other on the table. And for a moment, she's actually stunned into silence. "Wow... these are... they're really impressive." She holds Mazinger Z's, feeling the fabric. Koji must've been up all night working on these.

"Oh Koji, that's so you," Sayaka teases, noticing Koji's blushing. "But I suppose you're right about that too. They're like proof we weren't going to be apart forever." Sayaka considers.

"No matter how much far physically or emotionally." It's not perfect - there's still walls to some extent, and the state of the Earth Sphere will keep them busy for some time. But it doesn't make this evening any less meaningful, so she grasps onto that charm.