"To be asked to take this plunge, to forgive and forget
And be the better man, to be a better man, to be a better man."
You draw closer to the group, but still keep a bit of a distance. The comfort you had managed to build up slowly starts to chip away again. There… certainly were a lot of people here. More people than you’re used to interacting with at once. They all seem friendly enough, which is comforting in the fact if you really are trapped here, you aren’t alone. But on the other hand, you feel incredibly out of place. So instead of being an active contributor, you observe and play the part of the listener.
Something about the other guy rubbed you the wrong way, however. His demeanor was agreeable enough, but you did feel like were being pulled in a certain direction. The way he put the ultimatum to go or stay bothers you, but given the fact you agree with his plan, you really don’t have a reason to be defiant. So instead you nod and limp along, hands tucked into your jacket pockets.
“… Akito Fujisawa,” you say, looking him over with a sharpened glance. You firmly believe you can tell a lot about a person by how they present themselves. Clothing, accessories, make up. No matter how you looked at it appearances are made up of intentional and unintentional components which serve as both as a costume and a reflection of a person's inner self or, who they really
want to be.
Examining Taro, you see pieces of yourself. You notice the color of the roots and the slight texture of his hair, a look which can only be achieved by dyeing it. You know, because you maintain yours just as particularly. His clothes are too high a caliber to be something that one would just simply
stumble across. If you’re not mistaken, his top was last year’s model in the high end store you had bought the fur coat you were ready to dawn just at the right time. From where you’re standing, it looks as if Taro has his clothing fit in a way to compliment, but sets it in such a way that it looks haphazard. The way an outfit lays over your frame will make or break the silhouette value. It’s all intentional, and you have to admire it. He’s got casual street fashion down to a science.
But the fact still stands. Like you, he’s manufacturing a persona.
The man who looks good without trying. It’s a timeless appeal, and on him… it looks honest despite its care.
But you have to wonder, why
that choice? Who was he hoping to impress? Or did he simply enjoy looking that way?
Looking around, you try to detect what you can.
You shift your attention to the girl with the dyed red hair. If you heard correctly, her name is Yuumei. Her choices are less obvious to you. It's casual, brushing the skater look but not quite meeting it the whole way. It comes off as unintentional and genuine. But you can’t pick her apart, and that
bothers you.
The bright eyed girl fits into a mold, however. She’s energetic and oddly cheerful for being in a situation like this. You also recall that Nira, like Taro, seemed legitimately invested in everyone's safety. Her approach to it leads you to believe that she's a
good person. Her bright attire with its ribbons has one toe dipping into sweet lolita, which makes you wonder what the appeal is in her eyes? It could be just that she enjoys looking cute, or admires cute things. The desire to be younger seemed to be a popular ideal amongst ladies too, so you don't figure it's outside the norm. A bit exaggerated sure, but much like the others, it doesn’t seem entirely manufactured.
Then again, who's to say a costume can't be sincere?
And then there’s the lady who offered you her tie. The one you were waiting for to introduce herself. It’s clear she takes herself seriously, which is reflected in her attire. Her grooming isn’t immaculate, which strikes you as odd and maybe a bit on the tomboyish side. Or maybe, she has more pride in what she is dressing for than she does personal appearances. It’s a little mean, but you think she’s a bit funny, actually.
You feel as if you understand these strangers a little bit more, which makes them not quite as intimidating as before.
“So. Are we going to drive the train then, captain?” you ask Taro, keeping it as a matter of fact. If he was going to be the leader then you suppose you should dig for orders. If nothing else, it might be fun to pick on him a little.
So love me mother, and love me father, and love my sister as well.