Scene #2761:

Owner	Pose
Roman Talleday	Roman had begun to favour this area. The baseball court made for a good casual practice area away from school, though not too far away, where he often found younger kids to mess about with and offer pointers to. It was a nice change of pace, not to play too seriously. To just enjoy the game. Boats would go by, and the area was quite picturesque. There had even been boats with whole restaurants on them, for the Summer season, and that had made it all the better. Not a whole lot of trouble around, either. In fact, he'd started keeping a particular eye on this stretch of river, for the kids and couples that seemed to track through. He'd texted Minako a little while before to meet him out there, and just beyond the baseball court, he sat near the riverside on a bench beneath some trees. Listening to the game, watching the boats go by and seeing one open up for an evening of service. In his lap, though, he had a box. A care package sent to him, and half opened.
Sailor Venus	'He likes all three of you' Ami had told her several nights ago after dealing with the weird youma. That thought had stuck in Mina's head leaving her both giddy with excitement, and... Strangely more nervous than she had ever felt about a boy before. It was reminsicent of the days that she had once crushed on Ace before, well, everything that had happened with him and Sailor V and then legitimatelly becoming Venus and... A lot of maturing had happened since then even if she might not always show it in her actions. This wasn't just a boy to hopefully flirt with anymore. Roman had become someone she had to seriously consider much like she had seriously considered Kazuo. That had certainly gone poorly. These were topics she'd been daydreaming over instead of studying after class when Roman's text came through requesting she meet him. No time was wasted other than grabbing a light jacket to deal with the rapidly cooling temperatures that could occur at any moment in Tokyo when near the river. As he sits there with that box, it's not long at all before the blonde with her familiar red hairbow makes an appearance wearing a jean jacket, blouse, and a skirt. Because of course she was wearing a skirt even in this weather. "Roman! Hi!" Mina's hand shoots up to give a proper wave of greeting even as she grins brightly with her approach. "It's good to see you!"
Roman Talleday	When she calls out, and he looks up, he grins. Not just because she's in a skirt-- although he does enjoy that fact immensely, because she has very nice legs. It's a full brightening, in his eyes and posture, a perk of attention that suggests he is genuinely excited that she is there. The blond stands, and he matched her in mostly denim, unplanned but fitting (get it, 'cuz it's clothing, yeah? Roman thinks he's funny in his head). "Mina!" He's forgotten the 'chan', but that's okay. He's fully stood up from the bench, setting the box aside for now to greet her with a wide gesture. "Alright?" This is his version hello, she may have noticed by now. "Good t'see me? It's better seein' you, trust me. You look well tidy."
Sailor Venus	Minako Aino pauses long enough to flip her hand bacck through her 'neat and tidy hair' which she took such pride in. Of course that might not be entirely what he was talking about. It doesn't stop her from preening from the compliment either way. "Why thank you! I do try." A little sweep of her gaze runs curiously over him a single time taking in that unintentionally matching denim. It earns an even deeper grin. "So um..." She pauses, raising her phone in hand with a little waggle to indicate it. "What's the occasion? I was wanting to talk to you anyway so this works but I mean, you did ask me here."
Roman Talleday	Roman almost looks devious for a moment, something proud and naughty about him as he lifts his chin. "You like a bit a sweet, yeah?" His brow ticks higher. "I got somethin' for you to try." Well, he gives it a bit of suspense, at least... if only barely. But a nod is given to the box. "You'll love 'em. This is my childhood in a box. My Baba's sent me up some proper Russian sweets an' that..." He laughs to shrug. "She's a bit of a snob to English chocolates, an' that. She gets stuff imported."
Sailor Venus	Minako Aino lets her gaze flit to the box trying not to seem as if she was purposefully avoiding looking that way the entire time. Curiosity was killing her! "Of course! I love sweets-" The magic words are then said causing her eyes to light up. "Imported chocolate? From Russia?" Both hands clasp together squeezing her poor phone in the process. "Ohgosh I'd love to try it yes please!" Even if he hadn't invited her to sit that doesn't matter. She's brazenly plopping herself down on the bench with the box in between where she's sitting and where he HAD been sitting when she first arrived. "You ate these growing up? Which one's your favorite? Does your grandmother always send you things like this?" The questions babble out of her while she fixes him with a look of interest at hearing the answers. Then, mid babble, she blurts out, "You must have been so cute as a kid!"
Roman Talleday	"I'm pretty cute now, I was rotten cheeky when I was littler. Not in Baba's presence, mind. Best behaved I ever am." A laugh was given to that, despite the reality-- time with his grandmother had been time training, and it had indeed been very strict. "And not just chocolates, either. There's other candies too." Roman promised, as if he were in the possession of a rare treasure, and settled back down on the bench. "When I was doin' well, or workin' hard, Baba would give me a treat, yeah. Not very often, I was on a regimented diet when I got a bit older too. But that made it all taste ten times better, didn't it?" Opening the box more, she'd see an assortment of colours and sweets. "My favourite was probably the soft toffees, Iriski... this one's Zolotoy klyuchik." He held up a gold wrapped candy. "It means 'Golden Key'. I could eat these 'til my teeth rot."
Sailor Venus	The declaration of cuteness just causes Mina to nod in agreement before she can even realize she's doing so. "Yes, you are," she adds in only to laugh at the explanation of the various sweets. "She sounds amazing. I didn't get to know my grandparents much, they passed when I was little." There's no sadness there so much as the honest truth. It was nice to hear about others families, though! When the 'golden key' is produced she reaches out to touch it while meeting his gaze boldly remarking, "I'll have to try this then!"
Roman Talleday	"She is... Baba had an injury towards the end of her run as a Prima Ballerina, put a real halt on everythin' for her. Started instucting while she was still rehabilitatin', though. Built up a School of Dance with her savings and connections, relocated to London." Roman mused on his grandmother a little more, casually rifling through the box. "She's very well respected. Strong personality. She don't let anyone mess about." He pulled up a red box, somewhat shaped like a trapezoid with a picture of a cute little girl on the front. "This one... this her favourite chocolate, which is funny. Mishka Kosolapy..." He smirked a little. "Means 'Clumsy Bear'. Only time she got the patience for clumsiness, but."
Sailor Venus	"She sounds sweet! And tough," Mina has to admit with a laugh. The little golden wrapper to the one he'd declared his favorite is plucked open to regard the confection inside with curiosity. "Is it honey, then? Or nuts? Bears like both I think." "Speaking of 'liking', I heard you might like my brother?" The candy is popped into her mouth to try it immediately after she says that. It was a slow build up to broaching that rather difficult topic of admitting she had no brother but that it was in fact her... It'd probably just be easier to admit she's Venus first.
Roman Talleday	"Clumsy Bear's got a praline in it what's like vanilla and almonds, yeah. Then the wafer and chocolate on th'outside..." Roman nodded, starting to open one. He glanced up at the last bit though. "Oh, yeah? What, Ami's been gossipin' about me, then?" He didn't seem at all bothered by the fact. If anything, he seemed amused. Blue eyes glittered with mischief. "I'm gonna get her back for that. I know she sneak-reads Romance novels behind her textbooks, yeah?" Taking the chocolate treat out of the wrapper, though, he took a quick bite and tilted his head to and fro. "Yeah, I might've said your brother's cute. So are you, but." He knew that he was being a little cheeky on this front. "Identical twins... Not a problem I've had before. Not a bad one to have, though, bein' real."
Sailor Venus	Whatever rejoinder that Mina might have offered is put on pause as she lets the toffee-like candy she was trying melt in her mouth with a rather delighted 'Mmm!' of enjoyment at the flavor. "You're right these are great!" The candy was soon gone though which meant her distraction for responding has gone as well. Instead she chews at her lower lip just breifly before sucking in a breath. You can do this, Mina! "What if I told you we're a two-for-fun deal?" Two for one. Mamoru would be smacking his forehead no doubt as such malpropisms often drove him insane but thankfully he wasn't here for this one. "Ami told me I ought to be honest with you so I'm going to be honest and anyway you're hiding things from me too just a bit but it's okay I already figured it out." "I don't have a brother, that was me."
Roman Talleday	Chewing chocolate and wafer, Roman watched her joy first, and then the rest. Minako could speak very fast when she wanted to, in a kind of erratic and high energy way that he found endearing. Vivacious was the word for it, but he didn't really know that one. 'Two-for-fun deal' nearly had him laugh-- for a moment there, he could have sworn she was going to tell him that they, as twins, liked to share boyfriends or something. But no, fortunately, it revealed an even more wild revelation. Minako and Minato were simply the same person. How she managed that, he had no idea. Oh, well, magic would do it, actually. But-- "Hold up. So, you ain't got a brother at all?" Roman squinted at her a little, "Is you magic, like?"
Sailor Venus	"I'm an only child." It's the truth! Mina leans in toward Roman just a bit, one hand raising to press her fingers against her chin in a teasing, mock-coy pose. Her response to 'is you magic' is this teasing posture and a wink of amusement. "Sailor V -- And Sailor Venus, goddess of love and beauty!" The declaration made she adds, "Honestly did you think Mercury wouldn't have magical friends?" "I mean she might have a few I guess."
Roman Talleday	"I mean, I know she's got magic friends, and I knew she worked with Tux and other Sailors and... Sailor V, an' that. I just thought maybe she also had not-magic friends," Roman glances to one side, "Who might have crushes on her other magic friend. But that's also ''you''... Which is probably for the best." He paused for a long moment, and it was evident on his face that he was turning all of this over in his head. Puzzling through it. Reconciling. He took another bite of chocolate and chewed thoughtfully, watching a boat. "Oh. Yeah... No, now you say it, I see it. Yeah. It's literally just you in a Fuku." He nodded slowly. "Mamoru's right. That Veil's a bitch."
Sailor Venus	"Completely a bitch! Do you know how surprised I was when I already had your contact in my phone?" Minako reaches for another candy since it was on offer while bemoaning the issues that the Veil had caused her in life. Although it probably protected her just as much. "I mean I did think of dragging it out and teasing you some about it. Ami would be dissapointed in me though." For a moment she pauses her energetic chatter to look down at her hands still twisting the current candy about by it's wrapper. "One of my roles is as a body double for Sailor Moon. At the time I was having to do it a lot, and I just wanted a break. So I became Minato for a bit. I've done it before with my disguise compact."
Roman Talleday	"Right, yeah... that makes sense." Roman nodded with some understanding, looking back to her. "I used to be pretty big on social media, at least in Ballet. I was a bit of a dance influencer on clocktok an' that, I guess you could say. Recordin' my progress and thoughts and that, at first, y'know, an' supporting other dancers and reppin' the school..." He wavered a hand, "Grew a lot over a couple years. Kinda became it's own kinda job. Got a bit much." Another bite disappeared the last of the chocolate, and he crinkled the wrapper up and put it in his pocket. "Bein' able to disappear for a bit... be another person what's not gotta carry all that. I get that feelin'." Roman studied her features again now, able to see with perfect clarity how she was each of the people he knew-- Minako, Minato, Sailor V and Venus. "You know this means you is like... most of the people who have been especially nice to me, since I moved here?"
Sailor Venus	"That does sound tough. I always wanted to be an idol myself. I know it's a lot of work of course!" Mina hastens to add before she finds herself nodding in agreement. "I can't really focus on that sort of thing with being Venus too though. It'd take too much time and energy. But you've got actual experience with that sort of thing a bit. Even if it's not the sort of dream job I had envisioned. Sounds like a lot of work." A little tilt of her head comes as her expression shifts to highly amused. "Well of course! You're worth being nice to." A pause, and she asks, "So you're not upset that I was tricking you? I didn't start out trying to, I swear."
Roman Talleday	"I mean... it's kinda funny, but." Roman considered that honestly, especially thinking of poor Ami and Mamoru knowing the whole time and watching the chaos. "Plus, you ain't upset with me flirtin' with all of you at once, so all's fair." A small shrug came of it, and he licked his bottom lip to lean his elbows on his knees. He watched the boats again. "I can't be mad at you, anyway." He decided, turning his head to glance at her. "You're the whole reason I can eat with chopsticks, now, isn't it?"