mixingbowl | [OPEN POST] I WANNA BE A POPSTAR ★

I have. [Nope, not defensive or anything.] Senpai's room was a lot neater than this, though.

[Almost scarily so, actually. Rise would bet Kanji and Yosuke's rooms are way messier, like Hiro's is, if she ever saw them.

She sits down on the bean bag chair, dropping her purse onto the floor.]

It's okay, I was already there anyway. Your brother's always busy, huh? I never see him around when I see you.

[From what she remembers, he's supposed to be a student, but that doesn't explain why he's always out.]

Senpa--Souji-senpai? [He's heard a little about the guy from Rise in their talks. At this rate he knows a handful about all of her other friends, enough to know that Souji Seta's some kind of superhuman so really that doesn't surprise him.] He probably doesn't spend a lot of time in there does he?

[He watches her from the corner of his eye for a minute and when she settles on the beanbag chair he turns back to his monitor, one hand navigating the mouse and one hand offering the bag to Rise. Hiro. Hiro get up and offer her the bag what's the matter with you. Truthfully he's pretty much just used to Tadashi grabbing things from him if he really wants them so this isn't any different.

Speaking of Tadashi...he frowns slightly even as he clicks through a website revealing a city map and several red, blinking locations. Bot-fights.]

He spends most of the day at school and in his lab. [Hiro's never been but he's seen the building once or twice.] Usually he's home by dinner but lately he's been working really late on some project. I have no idea what it is though, I think he's trying to keep it a surprise or something. [Granted, Hiro's pretty focused on his own agenda of keeping himself entertained so he hasn't really done proper snooping. He's noticed the little red suitcase Tadashi transfers back and forth some nights but beyond that? Nada.]

[Though she rolls her eyes a little when she sees him just passing the bag to her like that, she leans forward and takes it anyway. Selecting one of the taiyaki, she nibbles at the tail as she watches him click around on the computer.]

Sounds all mysterious. Maybe he has some big deadline that he needs to meet.

[Tadashi's college, but they still have projects that they need to turn in for grades, right? Nerdy projects, in this case, Rise thinks.

She finally notices the blinking red lights on his screen and walks closer to get a better look.]

What's that?

Maybe. I think he's just obsessed with finishing the thing...whatever it is. [Gee Hiro, sound like somebody else you know? At least Tadashi knows when to stop for the evening. Nevertheless he just looks over his shoulder when Rise approaches, flashing her a wide-eyed look before grinning awkwardly and moving to try and click to another window.]

Uh...nothing! It's nothing, it's just a map, not a big deal. [He takes another bite of the treat in his hand.] Good taiyaki huh?

Good taiyaki? Seriously?

[The only thing Rise's sure about right now is that Hiro really needs to work on his BS-ing skills. She tucks her hands behind her back as she glances from the screen to Hiro a few times.

Then, with a purposely blank face, she deadpans: ]

Wow it's almost like you're trying to hide something.

[It's easier to bs Tadashi because he doesn't magically teleport across the room when he's not paying attention. Rise is a different story because Rise doesn't understand bot-fighting. So instead he just shoves the rest of the taiyaki in his mouth, minimizing the screen so she just sees his desktop. It's nothing special, just a blank blue vast but it's enough that the map's not glaringly obvious.]

It's not a big deal, I'm just scouting out places to go when I'm off house arrest. Just don't tell Tadashi.

[Rise continues to look skeptical, and for good reason. First? That minimizing trick doesn't work on her. Second...]

If you don't want Tadashi to know, it probably means you know you'll get in trouble for it. So spill.

[Trying to look as serious and intimidating as possible here. She's not actually trying to get him in trouble or anything. She's just curious.]

Rise, it's not a big deal. [Sigh. Sometimes she's just as bad as Tadashi, but in the end he just leans back and spins in his chair.] I'm just looking for the next couple of bot-fights around town.

Bot fights... you mean the thing where you build your own robots and have them fight each other?

[She's heard of them before, here and there. She's pretty sure Kanji's mentioned them before, saying that most of them didn't have very aesthetic designs. Typical Kanji, of course.]

Wait. Didn't I meet you outside of one? You got in trouble with the guys there.

[Ahaha...yeah. Yeeeah. He just gives her an awkward sort of grin, rubbing the back of his neck without quite meeting her eyes.]

Yeah...but this time's going to be different. I'm going to a different one where nobody knows me. It'll be fine.

I bet that's what you said when you went to that first one, too.

[Now she remembers--some kinds of bot fighting are illegal around here, and she's pretty sure those unruly men she caught chasing Hiro before fit right into the shadier businesses around.

Something else clicks now, making Rise eye Hiro suspiciously.]

This is why Tadashi put trackers in your clothes! Yeesh, you really go all out.

[S I G H]

It's fine! Look, Yama doesn't know about my reputation and I know I could beat him with Megabot. That's a lot of money, Rise. I have to go and win.

[Never mind the fact that it's a really, really bad idea and Tadashi will probably stop him but he's focused on it.] You believe in me, don't you?

I believe you're going to just keep getting yourself in trouble.

[She replies, with a hint of exasperation. She knows she can be stubborn, but she isn't Hiro's keeper, or family. He'd probably go the second she left anyway.

You'd think getting threatened by a group of tough, older men would scare him off the hobby, but apparently not. Figures.]

Are you doing it for the money or the fun?

[The question at least makes him stop to consider the real answer.]

Why can't it be both?

[He's good at it, first of all, and the money he wins goes to buying new bot-parts so he can keep winning. It's a good system.]

I could ask you the same about your old idol thing.

[Missing the point here, Hiro!! Rise gives him a hard poke to the shoulder.]

Nice try, but my "idol thing" didn't almost get me beat up by some scary-looking guys.

[Rise sighs, looking at the screen again. Though it's still minimized, she knows he'll just pull it up again when she's not around.]

...but you're going to go anyway. Why am I even arguing with you?

[He's good at ignoring things that he doesn't feel apply to him :| He just swats at her hand when she pokes him, flinching a little because ow, Rise.]

Nooo....but your idol thing did get you a few stalkers, right? [He's heard some of those stories missy.]

I promise I'll be careful. I know how to outsmart these guys.

Those are different.

[Seriously, she worries about you sometimes, Hiro. At least she didn't ask for the stalkers--jumping into illegal activities like bot fighting is basically asking for trouble.]

It's not the outsmarting part that I'm worried about. Do you think you can outrun them if they try anything?

Absolutely. [There's a languid shrug and a large smirk follows, gesturing to his hoodie.] And besides, Tadashi will know where to find me and get me if I need him to. It wouldn't be the first time.

If you say so. [Somebody totally isn't convinced.]

Just so you know, I'm not bringing you anything if you get grounded again.

I'm not gonna get grounded again, and we both know that's a lie. [Is he just ignoring the fact and taking another piece of taiyaki? Damn right he is.]

You're such a punk. Just try it and we'll see who's right. [Rise tosses her hair over her shoulder, as if emphasizing her point.]

When are you heading out?

[Because if he's looking up bot fights now he must be looking for one to go to soon.]

There's a big one tonight...so probably a few hours? [He at least looks a tiny bit guilty just because it's Rise.] Before Tadashi gets home. But we can still hang out for a little bit...you still need help with your English homework, right?

Oh, that assignment. I finished it earlier, buuuuuuuut... I still need help with my math hoemwork.

[Despite everything, Rise's happy that he still wants to hang out before his plans. As she pulls out her homework and hands it over to him, Rise taps his shoulder to get his attention.]

You'll call me after the fight, right?

[Juuust to make sure he got home in one piece.]

Math's easy. I did this a few years ago. [Don't rub it in, Hiro. But he doesn't feel like he's bragging and he knows Rise won't judge him either. Even as he starts to look over the assignment though he looks up, giving her a thoughtful look before nodding.]

Yeah, sure. If it gets too late though I'll just text you. Okay? Don't worry so much.

[Yeah, don't rub it in!]

Not worry about you? Puh-lease. I know better than that. [But he is promising to call her, so that's something. Sometimes she thinks Hiro's just too smart for his own good.]

You better or I'll track you down myself.

[OPEN POST] I WANNA BE A POPSTAR ★

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