week two | dates

[marriagebroker]

Kiss the girl~!

Or guy.

Or person.

Or Messmer's snake.

Comments

[poans]

Nay, rather than an artist . . . my eye could be said to be that of a crow.

[When one thinks of artists, those like Verso and Nico come to mind. If nothing else, Yi Sang is a sentimentalist, for better or for worse.]

[reverso]

A crow, as in... you just appreciate the beauty you do find?

[In the small things, at that. Bright and glittering in the dark.]

[poans]

[If only. Verso's words are soft and rooted in something far lighter than Yi Sang can see.]

Does the crow portend, or is it simply an opportunist? Man will despair and wither, and the crow shall bear witness to the haze as it fades.

[reverso]

[ ...

Poets, man.]

Crows will wither, too, after all is said and done.

[Verso claps his hand on Yi Sang's back if he allows it.]

Another drink? Then we can get started.

[poans]

Mm.

[So they will. Hopefully, sooner than later.

Verso claps his back, and Yi Sang takes that as a cue to finish off his glass.]

Indeed.

[reverso]

[And Verso, too, will do the same.

He finds he has more questions for Yi Sang (when does he not), but he'd rather get them started on their game of mini-golf before any of that. When he's ready, he leads them to their first course; it's neon-lit and gaudy, with a Swamp Thing (tm) monster made of plastic and foam standing in the middle, but it's also a beginner course. So maybe they'll do okay.

He hands him his club.]

Why don't you go first?

[poans]

[The decor is too much. And yet, there's a certain charm to it.

He accepts the club, then sets the white ball he's been assigned down near the edge of the course. A look at the shape of the club's head has him reposition himself to stand a little ways behind and off to the side of the ball, the club held loosely between his hands.]

Am I to strike the ball now?

[reverso]

That's right. But probably not as hard as you think.

[A glance at the course, and it's pretty straightforward: he'll have to hit it through a small array of colorful objects fashioned to act like a mini "archway", initiating the path the golf ball should follow. Then it'd go between the monster's legs and into the hole behind it.

All in all, a relatively straight line.]

See how many times it takes for you to get in the hole over there, past the monster.

[poans]

[Yi Sang lifts his head to assess the rough trajectory of the course, then looks down at the ball. Thoroughly out of his element, he hits the ball with a tap of the club . . . and watches it roll two inches forward.

This may be a while.]

[reverso]

[ … ]

That was just warm-up shot, so we won’t count that one. Maybe hit it a little harder next time?

[poans]

[Yi Sang takes another contained shot. This time, the ball rolls a whopping twelve inches. That's a whole foot!]

[reverso]

...

Impressive!

[g-good job]

One more time, a bit harder? It won't make its way down that into that hole, otherwise.

[poans]

[There's a pregnant pause before he takes a step forward and gives the ball a muted tap. It rolls diagonally a handful of feet away, near one of the props fashioned like an archway.

He straightens.]

I believe it is now your turn.

[reverso]

[Well, that was a little better. Verso nods and takes his turn.

Once set up, he taps the ball with the club. It rolls farther out, past Yi Sang's, underneath a further archway.]

Cheer up, mon ami. We're here to have fun, aren't we?

[poans]

[Does he appear despondent? Yi Sang glances at Verso as he takes a few short steps to the ball.]

Is the purpose of these excursions not to gauge our compatibility as a match?

[reverso]

[Does he ever not appear despondent?]

Sure. But even if we're not a match at all, I'd still like for you to enjoy yourself.

[poans]

[Hmm.]

What of you?

[reverso]

Me?

I want to enjoy everyone's company while I'm here. Even if it's not romantic, it's worth... my effort.

[poans]

[After a moment, he taps the ball. It hits the edge of the archway and rebounds, but he doesn't appear to mind as he steps back to give Verso room.]

The turn is yours.

[Eventually the tipsiness will kick in and loosen his tongue. For now, they may as well play the game.]

[reverso]

[Not even an acknowledgement of what he said. Yi Sang...

Well, fine. His turn. He moves to his ball, gives it a tap with the club, and it rolls even farther than the last. Past the archways, straight under the monster's legs, stopping just short of emerging from the shadow of its tail.]

Ah, that'll be a tricky one next...

[poans]

[He is processing . . .

While he watches the ball slow to a stop in the monster's shadow, his thoughts circle around Verso's words from before. A handful of beats pass with no reaction from his end before he angles his head in the latter's direction.]

Although it is but a fleeting moment . . . is it worth more still?

[reverso]

[He seems surprised by the question, as though he merely expected Yi Sang to continue playing drearily, with little commentary.]

Hm? Every little moment like this is more precious because it's fleeting.

[For Verso, who treats this show as something resembling his last hurrah, it's even more so.]

Easy to forget that sometimes, though.

[poans]

[Shoko had told him something similar among others, only to walk back a number of them later. He wonders if this is a prevailing sentiment, and whether it's helped or wearied Verso even more.]

What serves as your reminder, then?

[reverso]

[That’s… a good question.]

I’ve seen the effect of grief when you lose someone very… important to you. The wish that you had more of those little moments between you. That kind of sadness is a stark reminder to appreciate what you have while you have it.