Banri Settsu/A graceful pause

Afternoon Tea at a Hotel

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Izumi	It seems like everyone has plans for Saturday this week, huh?
Taichi	I've got a part-time shift this Saturday!
Sakuya	You do? Good luck with it!
Taichi	Thanks! I'll get that bread!
	You've got a Saturday shift in your part-time too, don't you, Sakkun? Good luck on yours, too!
Sakuya	Yeah! Thanks!
Izumi	Banri-kun, you're meeting up with your sister this Saturday, right?
Sakuya	Where are you two going to hang out?
Banri	Nee-chan said she was gonna take me to a hotel's lounge for some afternoon tea.
Taichi	Afternoon tea at a hotel!? Popular guys really be living a different life…!
Banri	What's popularity got to do with that? I'm just basically going as, like, a chaperone for her, if anything.
Izumi	It does sound like you two are going to have an exquisite time there.
Sakuya	I hope you and your sister have fun!
Banri	Well, I suppose I'll enjoy it however I can.
	*PHONE BUZZING*
Banri	Hello?
Banri's Sister	"Hello, Banri? Sorry, I won't be able to make it to our afternoon tea session tomorrow."
Banri	Ha? You're the one who said you wanted to go there.
Banri's Sister	"I know, I know!! But I suddenly got errands that I can't just ignore."
Banri	I mean, I'm cool with it, but that was a reservation thing, right?
Banri's Sister	"It is. And I've already paid for the fees, too."
Banri	Can you still cancel it?
Banri's Sister	"Didn't seem like I can anymore, since it's already the day before the reservation. So I was thinkin'— how about you find someone to join you there instead?"
Banri	Haa? —Agh, dammit, fine. I'll try to find someone.
Banri's Sister	"Thanks a loooot~"
Banri	(I say that, but it's not really a place I can take another guy with me…)
	(Guess I'll try inviting Director-chan.)
	*DOOR OPENS*
Banri	I'm home.
Izumi	Welcome back, Banri-kun.
Banri	Hey, Director-chan, you free tomorrow?
Izumi	Tomorrow? I don't have any plans, so…
Banri	Y'see, Nee-chan got some stuff to take care of, so she can't come to the afternoon tea sesh. If you want, you can come with me instead?
Izumi	Eh, me? You sure it's fine?
Banri	I'm inviting you, after all. 'Course it's fine.
Izumi	I suppose I'll take you up on your offer, then. I've been curious about the place since I heard about it from you, actually.
Banri	OK, that's settled then.
Izumi	Mhm! I can't wait for it.

Izumi	Woah…! This place is amazing…! Everything's so stylish— from the teapots to the cups, even their desserts!
	It's the first time I've been to a tea time lounge at a hotel. So this is what it's like..
Banri	Looks like it was the right call to invite you, after all.
Izumi	Thanks again for inviting me. But gosh, I have no idea what I want to eat first.
Banri	Everything just looks good, doesn't it?
Izumi	I think I'll go with this tart first… Mm! Delicious!
Banri	Haha, you really look like you're enjoying it.
Izumi	… It's embarrassing if you're just going to watch me eat! You should start digging in too, Banri-kun!
Banri	Alright, alright.
Izumi	(Desserts aren't the only food items here. They have sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres too.)
	(As expected of a hotel's tea time lounge. The garden that you get to see through their window is so beautiful as well.)
	Ah…
Banri	What's up?
Izumi	Look— it seems like they're holding a wedding in the garden.
Banri	Oh, right. Nee-chan mentioned that this hotel is often a venue for engagement meetings and wedding ceremonies.
Izumi	Even engangement meetings, huh? Ah, those two over there must be the wedding couple.
Banri	Those two are just for an engagement meeting, aren't they?
Izumi	How can you tell that?
Banri	Don't their outfits and vibes just give off that impression?
Izumi	Now that you mention it… Their expressions look pretty stiff while they're talking to each other, too.
	Then what about those two there?
Banri	Must be a business meeting. They've both got business attire on.
Izumi	I see… This hotel attracts all kinds of people; even just watching the guests go by is kind of fun.
Banri	True. It'll be useful for acting too.
Izumi	What a gorgeous garden. I can see why they use this place for wedding ceremonies and engagement meetings.
Banri	Guess so. But man, I didn't think I'd feel this full from just having afternoon tea meals.
Izumi	They served up quite the amount, didn't they?
Banri	How 'bout a lil' walk to help with the digestion, yeah?
Izumi	Sure, let's go.
	(There really are all sorts of people out here in the garden, huh…)
	The man and woman walking ahead of us have their arms interlocked… They must be a couple.
Banri	Most likely.
Izumi	… That does make me think— I wonder how other people would see us?
Banri	Maybe they'll think of us as a couple like those two there.
Izumi	Ehh, really? I wonder about that…
Banri	Well, then, how do you see us, Director-chan?
CHOICE 1: Like sister and brother? [+] Izumi Maybe a big sister and her little brother? Banri Sister and brother, huh? … Guess that makes sense. Izumi Fufu, but it wouldn't exactly be on the mark, I think. Banri The more I think about it, trying to guess a relationship from appearances is one thing, but it's a lot harder to get it right. Izumi If we put ourselves in that position, then you've got a point.
CHOICE 2: Maybe friends? [+] Izumi Maybe friends? Banri Friends, huh….. Doesn't that feel pretty off, though? Izumi You think so? Banri Like, being seen as a couple would probs vibe much better, right? That said, why don't we try locking arms together, too? Izumi EH?! Uh, that'd be too much…! Banri Haha, I'm just jokin'.
Banri	But I bet it'd be impossible for people to guess something like "taking his troupe's director with him to fill in his sister's spot who cancelled last minute."
Izumi	If someone could guess that, they may as well be a psychic…
Banri	… You're right 'bout that.
Banri	Looks like we've circled 'round the entire garden. Should we head back? Though I can escort ya if there's any place you wanna go to.
Izumi	I don't have a particular place in mind, though. But I heard you can order take-out and buy souvenirs from them, right?
	The sweets and tea we had during our teatime meal were so delicious, I was hoping to get some for the others in the troupe as well.
Banri	Sure. We've got lots of sweet tooths after all, so why not? Let's buy some and go home.
Izumi	Alright!

Tsumugi	Would these small plates be good enough?
Omi	Yep, these will be fine.
Muku	I'll line up the cups for us.
Izumi	Huh? Seems like it's getting pretty lively in the courtyard.
Banri	Sure sounds like it. Let's take a look?
Izumi	We're home.
Kumon	Oh! Welcome back, you two!
Banri	What's goin' on over here?
Kazunari	We're prepping an afternoon tea time sesh!
Izumi	What made everyone decide on that?
Citron	The madams gifted me a huge helping of okaki crackers after helping them out!
Azuma	I've also bought some traditional sweets for everyone to try.
Sakuya	I also received sweets from my part-time job, too.
Kumon	My family gave me desserts to take home for everyone as well!!
Omi	With everyone coming home with all these sweets in hand, we ended up with a huge pile of them here.
Muku	Then we remembered that the two of you went to an afternoon teatime lounge today, so we came up with the idea to have our own little tea session in the courtyard, too.
Banri	There's like a whole mountain of okaki and other different sweets on the table. That's sure a sight…
Izumi	Ah, in that case, maybe you'd like to add these souvenir sweets and tea to the pile as well? We bought them for everyone, so please, go ahead.
Banri	Here's the souvenirs.
Kumon	YAHOO!! Line these up on the table, too!
Muku	Thank you for these!
Izumi	Alright. I guess I'll go ahead and prepare dinner before I join in.
Banri	I'll head back to my room.
Citron	Oh… You don't plan on joining us now, Director? Banri?
Omi	If it's dinner you're worried about, I've already finished prepping.
Izumi	Oh, you did? Thank you for that!
Kazunari	C'mon now, you two! Come enjoy the evening tea time session with us!!
Izumi	I suppose I'll have to now!
Banri	We just came back from one, though… But sure, why not.
Azuma	I'll pour each one of us a cup of tea, then.
Tsumugi	Here. I snipped some flowers to place on the table as decoration.
Kumon	Now it's starting to look like the real deal!
Muku	I'm so excited to start!
Izumi	We were having a peaceful teatime earlier, but it's nice to have a fun, lively kind of teatime too, don't you think?
Banri	Well, guess this ain't so bad either.

Dita