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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 5, 2009 6:48:36 GMT 9
[Opened for Tsukasaa - but all are welcome to join.]
Takeshi managed to make it home from the super market with himself intact - and not without buying at least 3 boxes of Pocky. Once home he had managed to get most of his kitchen in order. Boxes had been unpacked and pots and pans and whatever other utensils that had wandered around the apartment were found a more suitable home in cupboard, shelf or drawer. He had spent the better part of the day moving stacks of boxes into one corner, piling empty ones in another; sorting clothes and necessities into the bedroom, movies, music, and other nonsense into the livingroom. All in all it had been a rather busy day - though, I did leave Takeshi feeling rather accomplished. (Of course, he still had much to do before one could say he was settled.)
Even so, he figured that he had earned himself a break and decided he could spare the time and the money to treat himself tonight. He slipped into something a little less street casual, donning some nicer jeans, a button up shirt, and a rather light leather coat he left open before heading out and locking up. He remembered a place catching the corner of his eye near the super market and figured that would be the best place to start considering he knew next to nothing about the town thus far. If it wasn't to his tastes, he was sure that the keep would know of other locations he could scope. In a quiet ten minute stroll he found himself in a quaint, mellow seeming atmosphere.
The lights were dimmed to a hazy amber over each booth and table and the music was just loud enough to create a rather lax ambiance. So far, so good.. he mused to himself as he took a seat at the bar. It was considerably more luminous than the rest of the facility, the whole intent of the design was to advertise the bottles of liquor and spirits that were offered in a flashy, yet somewhat stylish manner. Takeshi didn't really have a plan beyond exploring the local scene when it came to alcohol, but figured he would start simple and - when asked - ordered an Asahi. Once he was given his beer, he picked up the glass and took a decent drink, turning the the white froth in his glass as he contemplated what could be accomplished the next day.
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司さま
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Ero-Hime
that he did
Posts: 138
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Post by 司さま on Mar 5, 2009 12:19:41 GMT 9
Once to three times a week, after work Daikichi would stop at a bar for a drink, perhaps two. More if he were with a colleague, but that didn't occur very often, and he didn't like to engage in social drinking if he didn't have to. With a smooth calmness, he pushed the heavy door of the bar open, feeling it close behind him and cutting off the outside world. He could breath in, tasting the alcohol already. He was no alcoholic, but the scent was rich and inviting.
"Bourbon on the rocks, please," Daikichi said politely to the bartender, someone he recognized but couldn't recall the name of. He ordered his drinks straight, preferring a kick...But with this, he wouldn't have more than the one, or risk looking a fool on the way home. He disliked the idea of being a drunk businessman stumbling home. Even if his tolerance was high.
The drink was made in front of him by the man he ordered from, he slipped a note to the bartender before partaking and drinking a bit of it, not taking it too quickly. He wasn't going to gulp down such fine quality bourbon, after all.
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 5, 2009 13:02:38 GMT 9
It had been thirty minutes to an hour before anyone other than Takeshi had come in. But he figured that it was still rather early in the evening to be expecting a busy turn out. To be honest, though, he preferred it rather relaxed; this was the kind of personal drinking environment he had sought after while living in Tokyo. But in a sleepless city like that, most bars in walking distance of his home were filled with regulars at all hours of the day and half of the patrons were already inebriated to boisterous idiocy regardless of when one would wander in. He tended to spend many of his drinking nights at home - which made him feel like a closet drunk by the sheer situation of it seeing as how he spent most of his time alone.
As there were only a few people in the bar and the entrances were few and far between, he did throw a curious glance over to the newcomer and, as a passing thought, wondered if he was a regular to the place. Bourbon. Hmn. Now there was an idea. He never really frequented western drinks. With his beer just about empty, perhaps a nice glass of whiskey would be in order. At that thought, he picked up his glass and finished off the last couple ounces of Asahi. He waved down the bartender and ordered his whiskey on ice. As the bartender pulled the glass and put down some ice, Takeshi was struck with hunger - and not in the subtlest of ways.
It was a rather load and even lengthy growl. Surprised, his arm reached down to cover his stomach in a failed attempt to quiet down the rumble. There was a slight blush on his cheeks, rather taken aback by how noisy it was. In all the day's work after returning from the market, he had completely forgotten about fixing lunch. He hadn't eaten since breakfast. ... A rather embarrassing way to remember.. The bartender gave him a softly amused glance as he uncapped his whiskey bottle and Takeshi cleared his throat with a sidelong glance at the new patron just down the bar, quickly wondering if it had been that loud.
"... Pardon me.." he murmured
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司さま
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Ero-Hime
that he did
Posts: 138
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Post by 司さま on Mar 5, 2009 13:47:35 GMT 9
In the evenings, when he worked late enough, Daikichi would take his meals in his office. His secretary had a deadline to call for a delivery if he hadn't gone out, so he'd had a plate from a nearby restaurant brought up. They had a small agreement with his company and he enjoyed the food, thus was a lucky man. He didn't like to drink on an empty stomach, it quickened the process of the alcohol.
He glanced over at the man with the obviously empty stomach and almost felt like a smirk. He'd heard that alcoholics purposefully didn't eat before drinking so they could drink more and contain the effect longer. "Hungry?" He said, his light tone not supposed to be teasing but obviously was anyway. He sometimes found himself engaged in conversation with others at a bar, but it wasn't frequent.
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 5, 2009 18:16:11 GMT 9
Takeshi ducked his head slightly at the question, clearing his throat lightly again. He sighed, feeling a little pathetic. Well fantastic. Now I do seem like a alcoholic. It wasn't enough that he put himself in a position to feel like one, the first thing he had to do was convince people around his new neighborhood that he was one. His eyes shifted toward the suited businessman and the counter top once and then twice before he gave a weak shrug of his shoulders.
"Apparently so..." damn the absent-mindedness, "Just moved into town and spent most of the day unpacking a bunch of things. Seems I'd forgotten to eat lunch. Still a bit early for dinner yet, otherwise I would have eaten before if I had realized... 'Scuse the noise."
Takeshi pondered then if he should take up a table and sample some of the food the bar had to offer there. He really hadn't had the best luck with bar food in Tokyo and felt somewhat jaded toward the idea. Though, being in a new place completely was enough to turn the possibility in his mind. Still.. Jaded. Perhaps it was better to pay his tab and look for a different place to eat - or even head back home and fix something himself.
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司さま
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Ero-Hime
that he did
Posts: 138
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Post by 司さま on Mar 6, 2009 10:20:45 GMT 9
It could have ended there, such communication between strangers often ended easily. But Daikichi, he hadn't had the chance to have a casual conversation the entire day, thus it was a welcome occurrence. He didn't like to speak frankly with his coworkers, so they naturally saw him as uptight and as a workaholic. He didn't mind the image, not being a terribly self-conscious man .
He glanced down at the man's new drink, noting it was the same as his own. He hadn't been listening when the man ordered his drink...possibly he'd caused the idea. It wasn't really his place to say that it would make the other man sick if he were to drink something heavy like that on an empty stomach, was it? Worse than making him feel overly drunk, it'd likely make him extremely sick.
Soup, he'd had soup that day for his lunch. Reaching into his pocket, Daikichi produced a pair of packages, each contained two saltine crackers. He placed them on the bar counter in between himself at the man. "Crackers will absorb some of the alcohol and you'll feel less sick later."
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 6, 2009 19:19:50 GMT 9
Takeshi was a little surprised that a complete stranger would put forth a genial gesture like that. They had only spoken a few words and still know as much about each other as they did before the man even entered the bar. (Kurosawa was not a man of much faith.. at least in strangers.) He looked at the little square packets that sat on the counter between them, considering for a moment before reaching to take them. How stupid he must be in this man's eyes...
"Thank you." he said a bit curtly, though not meaning to be so, "I must seem like a foolish drunk to you."
Embarrassing. He'd been around liquor enough to know it wasn't a good idea to drink on an empty stomach. Luckily he was one that could hold a bit of alcohol - at least beer. Thank his lucky stars he had only had one and hadn't even taken a sip of his whiskey - not that he would see any reason to rush himself. He tore open a package and munched on a cracker. It was almost as if he could feel it dropping into the pit of his stomach. Though it wasn't as noisy as the first time, with the food coming in, it only seemed to upset it more. Takeshi started to feel just slightly ill to his stomach, feeling it beg and demand for more satisfying than mere crackers. He would get to it soon...
It was odd, he thought to himself, that he was almost welcoming the conversation at this point. Perhaps it was the social setting - the fact that he wasn't just drinking alone in his home again. Or even the fact that he was in a totally new city, in a completely new home without any ties to anyone within a hundred mile radius. Without his family in the same city, maybe he didn't mind a reach out to him so much this time - Hell, even the rather short-lived shopping trip with that.... What was it? Nao. Yeah, that sounds right. Even that hadn't been so bad. (It may had gotten a little awkward after a moment, which is where he took his cue to cut.) But normally, Takeshi wouldn't have even thought to spare a glance. Well, he would try running with this one a little bit better.
"I'm Kurosawa." He said after finishing a second cracker finally. "Kurosawa Takeshi... Thank you again - for the crackers."
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司さま
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Ero-Hime
that he did
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Post by 司さま on Mar 9, 2009 5:09:21 GMT 9
Out of habit, Daikichi reached into the inside pocket of his suit to produce a business card. He bowed slightly, pushing it across the bar toward Takeshi. "Pleasure to meet you, Kurosawa-san," he said, quite politely. Even to strangers, he tended to keep up his usual business approach. Though, he likely wouldn't have given crackers to a business associate. "By no means, Kurosawa-san, I don't judge without knowing."
Though that thought had entered his mind, he hadn't settled on it.
"It's nothing. Those," he said, indicating the crackers, "Ought to keep you from an upset stomach, but you should eat something of substance." He recalled discovering in university that he could not subsist on mere crackers while drinking, he'd always thought to have a meal beforehand even if it was junk food (which he grew to dislike over the years).
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 9, 2009 9:00:44 GMT 9
Takeshi blinked as the man put forth a business card. Though, he supposed it was to be expected from a man who was dressed so formally. He nodded his head slightly and picked it up, reading it over. Hatta Daikichi.... Buchou.. He didn't expect to need a business card of his own so soon. He hadn't run into them while unpacking his things - at least, what he had gotten to.
"I plan to soon enough." he replied as he reached for his wallet to slip the card away. He would probably end up having a meal at the bar lest he pay for a whiskey he wouldn't even drink, "Forgive me for not having my own card in return. I'm afraid I was ill prepared for this kind of situation, I hadn't unpacked the ones I have left... Though, they're not current."
Certainly not with his move. The numbers were wrong as was the address. He no longer worked for the advertising company in Tokyo. The only thing that would have been accurate was his name, and he had already given it - rather informally. He would have to remember to have new cards made when he had time. Perhaps when he finished settling in. Of course, if he managed a meeting like this one again, he would need them. That also brought to mind his interview with Kin Advertising. It had been at least a week already. Perhaps tomorrow he would make a follow-up call to see where his status was.
"So, Buchou," he tried to at least come off a little more civilized that he seemed to be making himself appear, "You wouldn't happen to have any recommendations from their menu?" He simply went on the passing thought that the man was a regular. It probably wasn't right to assume so, but it felt strange, somehow to simply leave the conversation at that.
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司さま
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Ero-Hime
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Post by 司さま on Mar 17, 2009 15:10:38 GMT 9
"Ah, that's fine," he said with a nod and a slight smile. "I give mine as a convenience, that's all."
It was a force of habit that let Daikichi give his business cards and he never expected one in return. It was only at work that he had a virtual guarantee, but in public he gave that up. It wasn't as though he would force expectations on strangers. He did it so frequently, he had to reprint his cards quite frequently.
"With a bourbon..." He thought, trying to recall the last time he'd eaten and drank at this particular bar. "Hnn, they serve a mini open-faced roast beef sandwich that pairs rather well with bourbon." It was one of the things they served, among others.
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