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May | Test Drive Meme
Jikan Test Drive MemeMinimize
You've seen this before. The thought strikes suddenly, during whatever it is you were doing. Having an important conversation? Running away from home? Dying in the midst of a fierce battle? Where ever you are, one things is true: you're certain this isn't the first time you've lived through this. But upon realizing this, that's when it happens. Like someone hitting rewind on the VCR, you're back where you were ten minutes ago. And it happens again. And again. And again--Until finally, something is different. A door stands in front of you. Will you go through it? Nothing else seems to be working, so this might be your only chance.
Upon opening the door and heading inside, a strange feeling overwhelms you. It's comforting and warm, like being enveloped in a soft, heavy blanket. You hear a voice murmuring in your ear, but it's unintelligible.
And in the next moment, you've appeared in front of a mysterious stone shrine in the middle of a forest, surrounded by the unfamiliar yet worried faces of fox-like humans in red and white robes, speaking in a foreign language that doesn't sound so foreign to you anymore.
Maryouku University
There isn't much time to process what's happening before characters are transported to the nearby Maryouku University. All injuries are completely healed, and those under mental duress will have a powerful soothing spell cast on them to calm them down. Their every need is met: food is offered, and questions are answered. "You've arrived in the Western Kingdom of Nippon, on a planet called Gaia," they explain. "When you became aware of the timeloop, we... well, let us explain."
Orientation Maryouku University, Kyoto
Everyone is brought to a large auditorium, where dozens of other people looking similarly out of place are seated around them. The Kitsune Yokai from before filter on stage, as well as a number of humans and other Yokai in labcoats. And after a brief introduction, they begin to explain. What they experienced back home was a timeloop. While the loops in their home worlds are smaller and likely to resolve on their own, the fact that such a small amount of time is being repeated is what makes them so dangerous for those who become aware of it. And they've been working around the clock, checking adjacent universes for others who've become aware. While the technical explanations may go over the heads of most, that's not the reason they were all brought together like this.
And they continue to explain: their own world was trapped in a year long loop for decades, if not longer. Through the use of an ancient form of bonding magic, they bound their world to the present flow of time, allowing it to progress past the timeloop. Or at least, that's how they thought it worked. In truth, Kizuna is very powerful reality-warping magic. And thanks to the powerful bond all refugees now share with the country of Nippon, the magic surrounding them will only continue to evolve.
Until a means of resuming the flow of time back in their home world is found, they'll just have to make due with this one. But not to worry, because Nippon is fully committed to taking care of the refugees!
A Brand New Home Kyoto, Kansai
Once orientation is over, characters will be allowed to choose housing in both Kyoto and Tokyo, enabling them the means of easily living between both cities if they please. These housing options will be fully paid for by the government of Nippon, with the NRL and MRU providing a stipend for food expenses in Tokyo and Kyoto respectively.
In lieu of providing transportation, all refugees will be granted an unlimited rail pass that they can use to travel all across Nippon! As of the beginning of May, express routes connecting Tokyo and Kyoto will be running at all times of day, allowing refugees to freely travel between the Eastern and Western Kingdoms.
Over in Higashiyama, the Love Festival is in full swing at Jishu Shrine. In addition to typical festival foods and fare, visitors may be inclined to try the koiuranai-no-nishi, a pair of stones ten meters apart bearing a legend that says anyone who can cross from one stone to the next with their eyes closed will have all their relationship dreams come true. Unfortunately, some troublemaker has decided to curse one of the stones, causing anyone who attempts the challenge to temporarily fall madly in love with the first person they see when they open their eyes, whether they know them or not!
Over in Gion, a certain movie producer is seeking refugees for minor roles in a dramatic retelling of the mass-kidnapping that took place last year in June. Probably not the nicest way for new refugees to learn about such a traumatic event, but hey-- this guy pays well! Those auditioning will be placed in pairs where they'll need to recite a love confession between two refugees, as one lay dying in the other's arms... which never actually happened. For all the injuries, no refugees actually died back then. But those who can prove themselves with their acting skills might just find themselves invited to be part of the main cast, or even land future roles and enter the realm of showbusiness!
In Uji, preparations are underway for a special ceremony to be conducted later this month, put on by the Emperor himself! Of course, typically "ceremony" is just another way of saying "lavish party" where the Western Emperor is concerned. Regardless, volunteers are needed to help spruce up an old villa for the party itself, where it seems a colony of nyagumo have taken up residence. Thankfully, most appear to be the domesticated variety and can simply be carried outside, but those in charge of the top floor better look out for the wild one, since it's nearly five times the size and venomous.
NRL Time Refugee Support Network
Once they've received their housing assignment, all refugees will be given small handheld devices called magi-tech comms, or magi-comms for short. They're heavier than a conventional smartphone would be, but far sturdier, and powered by the ambient magic that flows through the city. They don't need to be charged, but they won't work outside of cities at all. Upon booting it up, they'll find a message linking them to a special channel for refugees.
#nrl_time_refugee_support - online
Use the following code for your top-level if you'd like! This is how network communication will look for characters in the game until more advanced magi-tech comms become available for characters.
Springtime Lovers
As flowers bloom in the countryside, over in the Western Kingdom, it's time once again for the month of love. Traditionally, it's the month where marriage proposals are made, weddings take place, and couples decide to settle down and start a family.
And in celebration of this beautiful season, numerous festivals and events can be found taking place all over Kyoto. In particular, the Ukiyo district, known for it's patronage to the arts, seems to be intent on drawing in refugees this month.
Archive of our Own Ukiyo, Kyoto
Art has always been known to flourish when times are peaceful, and Nippon is no exception. But one such art is finally gaining a foothold in the west: doujinshi, fanworks based on existing properties and media. And to that end, a special doujinshi festival is taking place at the beginning of the month.
But this is no ordinary doujinshi. This is refugee doujin, which stars well-known refugees and their friends. With thousands of refugees scattered across Nippon, telling tales of worlds far beyond anything the people of Nippon have ever heard of, it's no wonder they've become an object of interest in the eyes of the native people. And while most of the doujin changes names and places around, some are a bit more blatant, borrowing names and appearances wholesale.
But what kind of stories will they find? Perhaps the dramatic exploits of the refugees who were swept away to the land of Bakeneko this past March? Or maybe a steamy romance between a wandering samurai and the son of a powerful shogun? Or maybe the ever present tragedy of being forever separated when one side is forced to leave Nippon? Or, for true connoisseurs, they may even find the booth selling a magical book that automatically illustrates the reader in a random genre of manga, be it romance, fantasy, or pornography.
Honestly a good case could be made that all of this is more than a little invasive and could pass as sexual harassment. There's even some cosplayers! But it's all in good fun, and also thoroughly protected by Nippon's freedom of artistic expression laws. And for those who have just arrived, they'll be able to learn the "true" history of the refugees lives in Nippon so far!
Just be sure to keep an open mind when wandering through the 18+ section.
Fortunate Feelings Ukiyo, Kyoto
Although typically not the most popular tourist destination, as the oldest temple in Kyoto, Koryuu-ji is holding a special exhibition of rare ancient artifacts said to posses fortune telling abilities. Perhaps in a world of magic, this may not seem like a big deal. But this one is rather special -- because in nearly a thousand years, it's never been wrong.
The artifact is actually comprised of a set of small statues: two bodhisattva posed in deep thought, their faces expressionless. But upon being asked a question, a positive answer will cause one statue to smile, and a negative answer will cause the other to cry.
Naturally, there's a limit to what people are allowed to ask, as a power like that could potentially be used to sow chaos. But given the season, most people visiting are doing so for matchmaking purposes: should a pair approach the statues, the response they give will reveal whether or not the pair is compatible. Of course, whether or not this is romantic, familial, or platonic compatibility is rather open to interpretation.
And as a special deal for refugees, they'll each be allowed to ask one question, in addition to having their compatibility with whoever they came with assessed. This could be a friend they've brought along, or a fellow stranger waiting in line who may just be a fated to be with them someday!
But please don't blame the statue for the inevitable messy breakup that it predicts.
Flower Power Ukiyo, Kyoto
With spring in full swing, flowers are blooming all across Nippon. But for those who were present last year, they may see a rather distinct flower they don't recognize. It can be found blooming just about everywhere in Kyoto, with natives occasionally commenting that they've never seen anything like it. And perhaps the most curious thing about them is they only seem to bloom when someone is nearby, the bulbs otherwise snapping shut when they step away.
But for the refugees, they'll notice an additional effect: when giving the flowers a sniff, the petals will gently close over their nose as if giving them a soft kiss. And they smell delightful -- how charming! Surely there's nothing suspicious or dangerous about such cute little flowers, right?
Of course there is, you know where you are.
Upon inhaling the pollen of these pretty little flowers, the Refugees will feel a little light-headed -- but also warm and happy. It creates within them a desire to share that warmth and happiness with others through physical affection. They may find themselves leaning on a stranger's shoulders, gently holding the hand of an acquaintance, or peppering the cheeks of a dear friend with soft kisses. This effect grows stronger the more pollen one inhales, and with just how windy it can get in the city, there's no need to get quite so close to inhale the pollen.
But what it is? Plant, ayakashi, some strange mutation of both? The locals genuinely don't seem to know, and soon, Exorcist clans from across the West begin pouring into the city to better study these strange new flowers. But overall, the general consensus appears to be that they're rather harmless.
Still, just make sure the flower that you sniff isn't actually a Sakebana in disguise. They're known for being a little on the loud side.
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's May TDM! The TDM is considered game canon, and also serves as the intro log! That said, whether you choose to carry threads over to the game or not is up to you!
• Current players are more than welcome to top-level, or take prompts from the TDM and use for their own logs! This may change in the future depending on how busy TDMs become.
• CRAU characters may start regaining their CRAU memories one month after the TDM. However, vague feelings of familiarity are allowed between previous game CR! For more on this, please read the FAQ!
• You do not need to sign-up for housing! Choose whichever style you prefer, in both Kyoto and Tokyo. Roommates can be chosen by the characters or can be random. If you want to switch housing later, your character has the option of moving at the beginning of each month.
• Incoming characters are welcome to find doujinshi about castmates not currently in the setting, with the implication that they may have been in the setting before. Make sure you have permission before finding doujinshi of characters currently in the game.
• The statue's predictions are 100% accurate, but open to interpretation because of how limited the answers are. For instance, the statues are capable of both crying and smiling at the same time for complex situations. That said, please do not intentionally write the statues being wrong.
• The severity of the flower's effects is entirely up to you!
Please leave any questions about the TDM prompts in the thread below! General game questions can be directed to the FAQ!
Apps are always open!
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!!!
Milady! [ his movements are fluid as he reaches ayaka -- he leans down and wraps his arms around her slim waist, lifting her in a hug as he spins her with a laugh. as he comes to a stop, he plants a kiss against her cheek, looking ecstatic to see her, his happiness fully genuine even if the pollen inclines him to be far more physical than he might normally be with her. ]
When did you get here? You haven't been here for long without anyone, have you? [ he's well aware that she can take care of herself, but it's more the thought of ayaka being lonely that he dislikes. ]
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[ Oh, looks like Thoma's just as excited as she is. She doesn't dare say anything of it, because to her? This is a joyous occasion. One worth being happy about, even though it does cause to fluster her a little bit.
Then again, no one is watching, anyway! It's okay. Even though Thoma's never been this affectionate before with anyone that wasn't Taroumaru. ]
Ayato is here, as well. It's felt quite like home, even for a little bit.
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[ when he finally straightens up and his hold on her lets up, his hands come to rest on her shoulders, gaze fixed on ayaka's face with a fond smile. the mention of ayato makes his eyes widen, his smile excited once more. ]
Both of you are here this time? Ah, maybe you'll both finally have a chance to relax without all of your usual duties.
[ the prospect of it makes thoma relax, pleased. his hands gently curl, setting into almost a massage of ayaka's shoulders as they talk. ]
Have you done much since you got here?
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Oh— [ A massage? Thoma, Ayaka would never ask something like this of you. As such, she takes his hand, and keeps it in her own. It is warm, as is her touch, and she hopes he does not mind her boldness. ] That's quite alright, thank you.
As for your question... [ She hums in thought, her jovial mood making her rock back and forth on her heels. ] I haven't engaged in anything eventful. I've just been... trying to find a routine here, actually.
[ Now, she has to ask, because Thoma implies that he's been here either for so long, or he was here before, went back to the timeloop, and only recently came back. Perhaps she should ask. ]
How long have you been here, exactly?
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when his hand is taken, thoma blinks at the thanks and then realizes what he was doing, his ears going a little red as he laughs and gives her hand a soft squeeze. perhaps the boldness of taking his hand should be enough to make thoma realize something odd is happening, but he's happy with the hand holding. why question it? ]
Mm, I think finding a routine is a good idea. I need to do the same, but I'd like my routine to include both you and Ayato.
[ her question makes him hum softly in thought. ]
I just arrived, but I was here before. It's hard to say for how long or how long I was back home, though.
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[ THAT... Ayaka didn't mean to say that she'll have him clean up and do chores here, though! But perhaps it does sound that way. She doesn't even seem to notice. ]
Though, with a new place to live in that's this vast, there are so many places to explore. If you wanted to be by yourself, I wouldn't hold it against you.
[ All smiles, and she shakes her head a little to make her point known. As much as she appreciates and values Thoma's company, he's his own person! And with the Yashiro Commission not exactly... established here, there is very little work for him to do! ]
Seeing as you've been here before, though, I hope you'll give me advise when it comes to certain things.
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[ thoma simply takes it as how normal it is to see one another on a daily basis given how many years it's been. that's how he views it. he's spent so long with both ayaka and ayato that his first time in nippon had been incredibly odd in that sense. the mention of normalcy makes him realize it was the lack of it that felt strange to him at the time. ]
Ah, well, Taroumaru and I are living with another friend from Teyvat, but now that I know both of you are here, I have something to work toward. It would be nice to get a place we can share. Or at least places to live that are close. I don't think I could spend all of my days exploring alone this time.
[ the offer of it still leaves him smiling, his hand gently squeezing ayaka's again. he nods and then pauses after a second at the mention of advising, lightly gripping her hand a little tighter. ] If you go to Nihonbashi, be careful about getting on the last train of the night. It gets stuck in a time loop and it's... interesting, but possibly overwhelming.
[ he thinks it best to leave it at that, even at the risk of his warning driving her to decide to try it out for herself. ]
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[ Living close to one another, she means! That said, in order to accomplish that, she imagines they would need a good amount of funding. ]
Perhaps you'll have to teach me your ways to gain better income.
[ She's yet to find a job, but she should! Tips on how to get rich fast? Thoma, do share. ]
The last— oh, I think... I may have experienced that already. It's the one with the parties, yes?
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there's a chuckle at the comment about income and he shakes his head slightly. ]
I'm better at budgeting and talking prices down, my Lady. We'll both have to work on finding ways to gain income. But there are a lot of businesses, so maybe we can look for jobs once we're settled.
[ hearing that she's already been on the train makes him blink, taking a second and deciding against asking how far she went into it. even with so many years of friendship between them, there are some things he knows he shouldn't ask. ]
That's it, yes. Did you have fun? [ that's safe to ask, right? surely. ]
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[ Not that... Ayaka would thrive if she had more money, nor does she have much to spend on... but she imagines it would make things easier! Especially if she wants to organise events and stuff. Oh— how exciting. But that's for another time. She needs to immerse herself in this world's culture, first. ]
Oh, it was... [ It takes a couple of seconds before Ayaka continues, a little unsure how honest she should be. In the end, she goes with the usual— more flowery language to properly conceal her feelings. ] an eye-opening experience.
[ A little terrifying, if you asked her, but after seeing Ayato there? Her worries went away. Even if... that wasn't the best place to meet your brother?!??! ]
People are very open here, so it was new. But something like this? [ Lifting their joined hands and giving it a soft squeeze, she adds: ] I don't mind it at all. It feels nice, actually.
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[ but it's truly not something they can work on yet. for thoma, there's still more settling in to be done, which means saving money can be a bit rough when he has to spend to manage it. he knows it's likely sort of similar for ayaka, so they have time to consider finances.
the talk of the train makes him blink, his brow furrowing just a little. ] Ah, I'm sorry I wasn't here to warn you earlier. People are very open and it can be jarring to handle.
[ on his own, thoma sort of eased himself into that openness, still a bit flustered by it but not finding it too frightening. he could see it being more of an issue for ayaka, though, especially if it'd been entirely unexpected.
as she lifts their hands, he looks down at them and then back up enough to meet her gaze, a smile returning to his lips. ] It makes me happy to hear you say that. It's nice for me, too. It hasn't been very long since I last saw you, but I still have this feeling that I missed you.
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[ But she's been taking some time for herself, Thoma. She's gone sightseeing, tasted all kinds of tea, amongst other things. Ayaka could use to get to know more people, but she's having a more challenging time with that. ]
Ayato and I have been working on a surprise for you, actually.
[ You just ruined the surprise, Ayaka. ]
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[ the last time he'd seen ayaka he was catching up with her and ayato to look around the irodori festival together. he wonders if this means ayaka missed the festival entirely. or if a week in nippon even corresponds with time back in teyvat at all.
shaking his head to rid himself of the wondering for how confusing it is, thoma finds himself letting out a soft laugh at ayaka's news. ]
My Lady, you can't tell me about the surprise. Should I pretend I didn't hear that?
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[ ... Excuse her, Thoma, because she doesn't know how to steer the conversation now when the surprise has been revealed. Ayaka has to think fast on what to say next. Maybe Thoma wouldn't think too much of it. Right? Right??? ]
I would like that, yes. Please just forget about it.
[ Her shoulders slump as she lets out a sigh, more embarrassed about this than she would like to admit. And with Thoma, she's used to not showing how she truly feels, but she's far too comfortable with him right now that she's unable to hide it. ]
I'm not very good at keeping secrets, aren't I?
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[ thoma is ready to pretend he has no idea about any surprise, but the way ayaka's shoulders slump has him lifting his free hand. he lightly hooks a finger under her chin to lift her gaze to meet his own, smiling as his eyes meet hers. ]
You're good at keeping secrets when it's truly necessary, my Lady. When it's something someone shares with you in serious confidence or it's something that's truly important to many.
[ he lets out a soft laugh after. ] I think you struggle with wanting to share the joy of happy surprises with friends, even if the friend is the one the surprise is meant for. It's a hard thing to contain, isn't it?
thoma is such a good 🥺
Pink tints her cheeks slightly and she's forced to look away, else she'll truly feel her face grow warm. Thoma is so kind, and she wishes he'd continue to be this way. ]
I... yes, I suppose. There are times when I forget what's supposed to be a secret because it just seems like something I should share, because it would make the other happy.
... did that make you happy, Thoma?
he just wants to take care of ayaka!
noting the way she looks away from him, he lowers his hand from below her chin, realizing it might be a bit too much. ]
It did. It makes me very happy to know both of you were thinking of me even when I wasn't at your sides.
[ with that, he thinks it's best not to dwell on the topic of secrets any longer so ayaka can continue to keep the surprise generally secret from him. knowing he's in for a surprise doesn't give him much hint about what it might be, after all. ]
Should we take a walk? Have you looked around anything going on around here?
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To Thoma's question, Ayaka nods. ]
We can go for a walk. [ A beat. ] I did take a look and smelled some of the flowers, and I had some tea. I was told about the doujinshi here, which I knew nothing about until recently.
... I'm not sure if they would be worth buying at this time, but I think I'd like to try reading light novels now.
[ Because she's never done it before! She imagines it'll be a fun experience, and she would be brought to a different world through its words and characters. How exciting! ]
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when ayaka mentions the flowers, thoma glances at their still-joined hands, which he's lightly swinging between them as he turns to start leading them along. ] Ah, I smelled the flowers, too.
[ the reaction from the flower comes to mind and he does wonder if it brought them to this, but he can't be upset by it. not only because he's still just happy, but also because being close with ayaka is nice. ]
Should we go look around? I saw some stalls set up not far from here, but I didn't stop to look at them myself. I'm sure we could find some interesting light novels.
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[ Her curiosity peeks through her tone, as well as with how her gaze on Thoma that brightens up when she asks him that. They speak almost every day, but not about personal matters. It was usually about work, what she needs, what he should do, et cetera. To get to know Thoma on a deeper level is exciting, starting with things he likes to read! ]
I know the Yae Publishing House has all kinds of stories... Maybe I should have had you buy me some books there.
[ Since she couldn't buy as herself!
Oh well. The past is past. It is time to move on for now. ]
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[ honestly, he'd been a little busy to really focus on that and they'd received copies of a lot of the novels people were selling simply because the commission was holding the festival. he only got the chance to look through some of them before he ended up in nippon again.
thoma gives her a curious look, smiling. ]
What kind of stories do you think you'd be interested in? We can try to find a couple for you here.
[ there's a pause as he considers the here part of that sentiment. ]
... Please let me browse the novels for you, though.
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[ All these things related to time are so very confusing, and would take such a long while to get used to. But she hopes Thoma's answer will be a positive one. It was so much fun organising the Irodori festival, and she certainly hopes that her brother would allow her to take part in more activities in the future. ]
Oh- whatever is popular, I suppose. I'm not very picky.
[ Wait, Thoma— ]
Surely these novels aren't all... what was that? I believe the word is "spicy".
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[ but it all went over quite well, a real success with the turnout they had. and, on top of that, thoma managed to avoid running into lady miko through the entire festival. he considers that alone to be a success of sorts, though he doesn't voice that to ayaka. ]
I-- [ he's just opening his mouth to say something about finding different genres for her to try when she stops him, the question making him blink then let out a laugh. ]
Well, I can't speak for any of them yet, but you know how people here can be so open. I would be more surprised if none of the books were... spicy.
[ thoma can't say that's a word he's heard used like that, but he goes with it, understanding the concept. ]
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[ But she is asking to make note of the spicy stories because she's also curious. When no one else is around, she'll likely purchase one. This is all that girl's fault... mentioning spicy stories to Ayaka! Now her curiosity's been piqued, and there's no turning back. ]
And I'm glad to hear the festival was a success. We all worked very hard on it.
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[ as they approach, and the stalls come into sight, thoma can see some of the people dressed up. there's the raiden shogun and a too-tall version of aether and even a kazuha with hair that isn't quite the right color to actually be him. he wonders if all of them have seen these counterparts as he leads ayaka closer and starts to eye the stands. ]
We did. It was worth it. I'm looking forward to eventually getting home and seeing more people come to visit Inazuma now that they're open to.
[ it's a big change and one thoma's looking forward to, both because it means people can visit and that he can perhaps take ayaka, and maybe even ayato, to visit mondstadt some time.
thoma decides on a stand and approaches it, flipping through some of the books at it and smiling over at ayaka, offering her a couple that seem like fantasy and romance without any signs of things beyond kisses. ]
How many do you think you'd like today?
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