perfectmatch | week three

Yi Sang and Yingying are taken to a night market. It's bustling, vibrant, and full of wonder. There's so many booths and stalls selling good food and whatever else you can think of.

Highlights

The production will give them some money to spend.
It's really crowded.
Don't get separated!

[ The fairs she's gotten to go on dates were similar to this, lit up at night and with tons of stalls selling food, but there were enough foreign elements that they didn't quite evoke the image of home. This, though? The lanterns lit up, the familiar smells of skewered meat and fire crackers, the sounds of kids laughing and music beating through their chests...

It feels like coming home. Since a hundred years ago, she's only had the imitation of the fete that she could conjure — she hasn't been to a real thing since the star fell. As can be expected, her eyes are bright and full of wonder and excitement as they start getting lost in the crowd, keeping her arm secure around Yi Sang's while they navigate through the throng. Leaning in close to his ear so that he'll be able to hear her over the bustle of the market: ]

Shall we try to find a stall selling chicken?

[ Maybe they have something similar to his homeland, too...? It wouldn't do if she made this excursion all about her. ]

[It's crowded . . . and noisy, yet all the more alive for it.

Yi Sang angles his head as he watches a group of children merrily making their way down to a nearby stall, unburdened by any realities that might dog them at other times. Seeing the smiling faces of children is ever a rare yet welcome privilege. He turns back to Yingying at the sound of her voice and nods.]

Mm. I believe there should be one nearby.

[The stalls lining the path at this entrance are bursting with warm food to enjoy while browsing confections and souvenirs in the booths farther inside. With Yingying at his side, they begin a leisurely walk through the packed crowd.]

[ The layout might be different, but Yingying knows her way around places like these. Moving through the crowd to get to the desired stall os fluid, with her firmly guiding the way. ]

Mm, see? They have a lot to choose from.

[ It's a stall with all sorts of meat skewers of all sorts of cuts; beef, pork, chicken, squid, the list goes on. The smoke in the air is pungent and thick, heavy with the smell of char. There's a bit of a line, so there's ample time for them to choose what they want. ]

You mentioned in your homeland, you would tear it with your hands, [ she pantomimes with her free one. ] Did you ever cook it over a fire like this? I want to find something similar.

[All around them are laughter and music. Joy permeates the air, and Yingying appears at home as she leads him by the arm. He doesn't mind: Left alone, he wouldn't have known where to go.

The pungency of the air, heavy and intense, grounds him. He watches her gesture with a hand, then looks at the rather familiar spread.]

In my homeland, we would refer to a dish like this as a kkochi. Grilling is a common method of cooking there.

[On second thought, this is perhaps the closest experience to his own culture a venue has offered him since arrival. How odd.]

Uh-huh, so it was like this afterall...

[ She looks pleased. Then, as it becomes their turn, she's quick to take over, promptly ordering one of few of the selections available — being sure to smile radiantly when the friendly, older gentleman tending the stall says this is for you and the young man? A boyfriend, maybe? While their interaction is brief, it's brimmed with familiarity and hospitality, and the two end up only needing to pay for half of their lot, due in part to Yingying's charms and effortless friendliness. She belongs in places like this, indeed. ]

Here, [ She passes the chicken one to him when they collect their prize, steam still emitting from the grilled meat. Briefly, she does consider attempting to feed him... before deciding against it. For now. ] You've got to try the first bite.

[Yi Sang observes the exchange from the periphery, glancing between Yingying and the gentleman as the former puts on a glowing show of geniality that goes far beyond his own capabilities. "A boyfriend, maybe?" Is that how they appear? The conversation moves on before he can so much as form a single coherent thought throughout it. Before he knows it, she's paid out of their funds and handed him his share of the prize.

Money has never held value to him, so saving a little here and there doesn't mean much; rather, it's the heart that was put into the acquisition of the skewers that makes the one in his hand that much more valuable. In deference to her efforts, he takes the first bite as requested, chews slowly, and swallows.]

Mm . . . It is quite warm.

[He offers the skewer back for her to try next.]

[ Yiyi indirect kiss?!?

No, she's taking the skewer back to promptly try some for herself, chewing thoughtfully as she does. As ever, her form being like this makes eating a strange affair, done more for pleasure and fitting in than actual sustenance. From what she can discern, yes, it's warm. Salty, savory, and filling. When she takes a second piece for good measure, she passes it back to him, wagging the skewer at him a little. ]

You really listen to everything I say, hm? So obedient and cute. [ He follows orders just like a pup... a lesser person would notice this and choose to be devious. But Yingying is innocent, obviously, so she's only going to use this tidbit of information for good. ] I got to choose first, so now, I want you to choose what we should look for. That's only fair.

[He pauses after taking the skewer back. Aventurine had impressed on him early on the sentiment that he should refuse what he dislikes, but that particular line has been drawn in such a way that Yingying has yet to cross it, and it's unlikely that she ever will. Unlike his dear compatriot, she cares about others the most.

Blinking out of his thoughts, he glances in the direction of where the night market is the brightest. If he recalls correctly, drinks and food were had every night at the fete, as well as fireworks and sparklers . . . ]

I believe a drink would suit our needs after this meal. Tea or juice should do.

[ Tea or juice... hmm... she's going to take hunting for this very seriously. She's not about to let them get swindled or upcharged in a market like this, after all; having grown up with street vendors all her life, with hagglers and gamblers and all sorts of folk, Yingying knows the value of a bargain and of negotiation. She can be wise like a forest spirit, but smart about the streets, too. ]

There should be stalls selling tea... there were always carts like that before, with jelly and fruit.

[ It was harder to keep things cold back then. Three weeks of living in a place with a refrigerator, though, makes her sure they can find something refreshing on this warm summer night. Lo and behold... boba stand up ahead, with lots of different kinds of milk and fruit teas, blended ice, and other such treats. All mostly foreign to her, especially in the cute packaging. ]

Hmm, what about this? [ It's Yi Sang's choice, in the end. She can't imagine him really saying no to anything, but she'll still ask out of courtesy. ] It looks almost like desserts...?

[Despite his talents, Yi Sang is not particularly street-smart. Without Yingying by his side, he'd likely have been swindled of all their funds in record time. Her assistance in locating the boba stand, therefore, is more than a small blessing.

The myriad colors of the drinks on display remind him of fruits, giving the impression of a refreshing flavor. They must be sweet, too, as he agrees with Yingying's assessment by way of a nod.]

They have a certain consistency to them, do they not? Which flavor speaks to you?

[ What flavor, indeed. The variety is almost overwhelming. Should she get something she's familiar with the flavors of, or something new entirely? ]

I was telling Odile... I like teas that have been toasted, or have rice in them, [ Though she's never had any with milk before?! ] So, maybe.... that one?

[ She points at the menu above the cart, eyes full of curiosity. It's a roasted oolong milktea, with brown sugar pearls... a basic drink, maybe, not to her knowledge. But it seems like a fun blend of the familiar and the new. ]

You should try something new while we're here, too.

Mm. Then I shall try the red bean.

[Truthfully, almost any order would have been new to him. Yi Sang seldom dined or experimented like this on his own, mostly venturing out in the company of friends when he wasn't holed up in his residence and busying himself with one invention after another.

At any rate, he settles for the red bean milk tea for its vague familiarity and moves to place the order for both Yingying and himself. Only, he has none of her talents in conversation and such little consideration for the value of money that he'll simply pay up without intervention.]

[ Just as she's about to feel proud of him for making the order, she hears that absolutely out of whack price, and purses her lips beside him, leaning in so the teller can see her, too. ]

Oh, can't you give us a little discount? We're travelers from far away, and it's our first festival...~

[ Which is true, and is exactly the sort of thing people who came to the fete would say all the time. She does a great job of fluttering her eyelashes and trying to be extra convincing, which typically goes a long way with people enchanted by her looks, but the teller raises an eyebrow, going to grill Yi Sang rather than Yingying who seemingly knows what she's doing. Where are you from, then?, the person asks him directly, expectantly waiting for an answer. ]

[Content to leave the talking to Yingying, Yi Sang is blindsided when the teller addresses him instead. As he's ignorant of what's right or wrong, he answers honestly:]

I originally hailed from District 19, which I fled in favor of Nest T. After departing T Corp., I was with N Corp. for a time before I left it as well . . .

[ His honest and straightforward answer seems to do most of the work, and Yingying cuts in pretty quickly afterward. ]

See? My sweetheart has moved around a lot for work.

[ In fact, she's surprised to hear just how much he's been moving around... having lived her whole life in the village, it's hard to imagine. "Fled" is an interesting word, too...

Producing a tiny sachet from her robes, she places it between them and the teller, pushing it across. It's perfumed strongly with the scent of wisteria, and has a lucky knot tied on it in violet silk. ]

Here, take this for good luck and blessings from my homeland, and a show of our good faith. We don't mean any trouble.

[ Perhaps because of any lingering cultural similarities between their two backgrounds, combined with the overly blunt and lack of obvious deceit in Yi Sang's answer, the man seems to finally relent under the pressure of Yingying's charming smile, taking the small packet begrudgingly while he rings them up. Where did she even get that from? It must have been something she already had with her before even coming here. ]

[Ah, she catches on fast. There are many reasons Yi Sang has shuffled around as much as he has. Were he asked, it would've been a struggle to summarize them, yet Yingying has done it with far more grace and efficiency.

He cranes his neck to eye the packet, which seems from the look and smell alone like something that might have been bestowed with good intentions at a celebration around the wisteria. He doesn't have long to look, though, and they're very soon waiting for their drinks to be made when Yi Sang turns to Yingying.]

Miss Yingying, that sachet . . .

Hm? Do you want one, too?

[ She smiles, blinking at him curiously. He's never seemed very much like the superstitious or spiritual type... ]

I've been making a few of them in our time here... don't tell, but they're for everyone. [ She has Plans in motion. Giving away one for the sake of haggling won't set her back too far. ] We always used to hand them out in the Pavilion.

[So it does relate to her homeland, in which case a certain value of it must be quite high. It would be rude to refuse if she's offering, and even ruder still to spoil the surprise, so he won't.]

The Pavilion, you say . . . Do they relay a specific sentiment of the fete?

Yes, in a way. The Wisteria Pavilion is where the sacred wisteria originally was, where everyone would come to pray and make their wish... it's also where I grew up with my moms.

[ It was her home, as was the street it was on. The fete was for everyone in her homeland, but they all gathered and descended upon her same, familiar wisteria at that time of the year, without fail. It made the Pavilion the center of one of the biggest traditions. ]

During the fete, people would come to tell the Wisteria Fairy their wish — I'd listen, and my moms would write the wishes on placards, tying them to the tree. We'd give our blessings in these sachets in return, and things like that... all of us working on it together.

[Her mothers, it seems, were deeply involved in Yingying's life on all fronts. It's little wonder that they appeared so joyous by the wisteria, and that she was adamant on watching them all night.]

Then, these blessings are your very own.

[She has surely heard many a wish from other players by now, but there are no placards on which to write. Yingying intends to hand out her blessing anyway, such that he wonders what sort of sentiment lies within them—lonely though it may appear due to the absence of several maternal touches.]

Mm. Before we all part ways... I'd like to share this with everyone.

[ A little piece of her homeland. Legends about it have all been tarnished by the catastrophe — now only Yingying is the one that knows the warm-hearted and kind rituals they had. If she might spread that knowledge to the companions she's made here.... it'd make her happy. The reality of her home would be known to at least the sixteen of them. ]

I might no longer be a proper Fairy, and it's not the New Year, either, but I'd like to still give my blessing for a good year ahead.

[ would u look at that.... the bobarista is done with their drinks.... ]

[When put this way, a part of him thinks it would be beneficial for one sachet to remain here, in the hands of someone who will go on to engage many a client. Combined with the rest she'll gift to their cohort, her blessing will spread far and wide, keeping the memory alive. Even though she'll soon fade if nothing is done, she's still doing everything in her power to preserve her beloved home with little thought for herself.

An endless struggle . . . like a chicken that is unable to fly, yet continues to flap its wings . . .

Stirred out of his ruminations by their finished order, he takes the drinks with an appreciative nod and turns to Yingying.]

Your drink, Miss Yingying.

week three | dates

yi sang and yingying

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject