[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“KEN-KUN!”

Momo shouted her cousin’s name from the center of the campus grounds. They had agreed to meet there via text before traveling back to Kenta’s hometown together to participate in their yearly Obon tradition. She had been to very few of them over the years since she lived across the world so it was exciting to get to join in for a chance and to see more of her relatives, but Momo had another reason for wanting to pay her respects to the departed.

Mei.

She had only known her former roommate for a short period of time, but they had bonded enough for Momo to feel Mei’s passing deeply. Even if she was hiding it beneath her bubbly charisma as she looked around for Kenta. Obon might have been meant to honor family, but for today, Momo was also using it to remember Mei.

The first year adjusted the bag hanging from her right shoulder. The weight of the offerings share carried for the memorial made her normally perfect ballerina posture slump just a little to the side. At least she wasn’t lugging around her text books, but hopefully Kenta wouldn’t take too long to show up. And just in case he needed a little help finding her since it had been a while since they had seen each other face-to-face…

“KEN-KUN!”

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta | Outfit | Summer Seasonal Event Prompt 4

[Muruyama Kenta]

Time sure did fly… there he was entering the school for the first time worried about not screwing up, but excited to make things happen… and here he was now, in the summer. He made friends, and learned things…he nearly died a few times, those were always fun…managed to keep up a stream sort of while also doing school stuff. For once, he did feel like a bit of a break would be good for him. He needed to slow down for once.

Going back home for Obon felt a bit weird. It wasn’t a holiday he cared a lot about. It would be good to see his family again for sure., but he was mostly indifferent to the more spiritual part of it… he felt sad about the family members that passed on but with a lot of them he didn’t know them super well…

Yet here he was thinking about a girl he didn’t know at all…saw her once, fighting alongside him against a villain…seeing her die right before him. Aperentl, she was a UA student as well…and now she was gone.

Before he could sulk too much he heard someone call out for him. A familiar voice but one he didn’t hear for a while. He knew Momo enrolled into UA but with how hectic the schedule was the two didn’t speak much. But this was as good of a time as any right. He would wave his hand once he spotted her calling back “I'm here Momo-chan!” smiling brightly at his cousin.
Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“Oh! Hi, Ken-kun! Long time no see,” Momo said to her approaching cousin as if she hadn’t just been shouting her head off in the middle of the grounds. People were gawking at the pair. Momo didn’t seem to notice. She just returned Kenta’s grin and adjusted her bag again and started to walk toward the bus stop just outside the campus grounds.

“You ready?”

She wasn’t giving him much of a choice since she was already trotting away, but it was the thought that counted! Momo would have been more inclined to stay still for their catching up, but the Japanese transit systems waited for no one. It totally wasn’t so that she could get to their final destination faster and relieve herself of the burden in her bag that was weighing more on her heart and mind than it was her shoulder.

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta

[Muruyama Kenta]

Kenta also didn’t pay mind to anyone staring at them, nor the sudden shift from her shouting to just casually greeting him. He always appreciated how Momo could match his level of energy at times, both personality and activity-wise. Of course, there was a lot of differences between her Dancing and his parkour, but it did help them understand each other a bit better. Plus Kenta wasn’t that bad at dancing…at least so he thought.

He was already moving as she asked about him being ready, knowing full well she wouldn’t be waiting “Right there with you…need any help with the bag? Sorry if I kept you waiting a bit, wanted to be sure I packed all my stuff” he replied trying to start catching up even as they rushed against the transit clock. As gloomy as he felt recently it was good to see her.
Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“Nope! I ate all my veggies just so I could get super strong for UAU!”

It was the truth. Really. The fact that most of the veggies in question had been in the form of super sweet zucchini bread didn’t need to be clarified. Momo flexed the arm not carrying the bag to prove her point. Unfortunately, she wasn’t actually that strong compared to many of her peers, so the result wasn’t that impressive. On the other hand, Momo was super lucky and a little bit of an idiot. So the yukata she was wearing completely hid the toned, but small muscles she was trying to show off to prove her point.

“But thanks!”

Momo was less formal with family, so she had almost forgotten her manners. But she could never forget her own inherent helpfulness. “I could help you carry your stuff though!” She was saved from her own thoughtfulness proving her strength claims wrong by the arrival of the bus.

“Bus!”

Forever a champion of the obvious.

The door opened to let them on—after they paid. Momo had acquired a bus pass when she first immigrated. It was cheaper that way and the world was probably safer without her eventually being behind the wheel of a vehicle herself. Heavens forbid she saw a cute animal and got distracted while driving.

“Front or back,” she asked Kenta. “We’re too cool to be mid!” RIP the people in the middle of the bus, and it was certainly a subjective claim, but Momo said it with enough confidence that it would be hard to not believe her. Or it would have been, but she chose that moment to strike another cheesy pose.

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta

[Muruyama Kenta]

Kenta laughed a bit as Momo flexed, though the fact she was wearing a Yakuta did obscure most of her arm. Though seeing how Kenta was more of a cardio than muscles person he’d be the last to claim she was lacking muscles. “That’s good, got to find room for veggies in between all your sweet snacks” he teased a little bit before she made her own offer to help him. Before he could really reply their transport had arrived. Guess he couldn’t tease her with accepting the offer this time.

Kenta walked in and paid after Momo, also having a bus pass, given how often he spent time exploring the city in between classes. He laughed again at her question and posed saying “I’m guessing your grades at the PR classes are straight A’s! I’m good sitting at the front if you are” he continued while approaching a pair of free seats and setting his bag up in the section before saying “You can sit by the window if you like, but only if you tell me all about the stuff you’ve been up to!” he offered with a smile, though he’d probably be barraging his cousin with questions regardless.

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

Momo had never seen an A in her life on anything that required even a drop of academic prowess, but she laughed nonetheless at Kenta’s claim about her PR grades. Cs got degrees, as they said and with a whole lot of effort, Momo could proudly declare she was a straight C student for her academic courses. So she declared nothing, but she did plop down in the offered window seat next to Kenta.

“Thanks! Now let’s see,” she said as the bus shifted into gear and merged back onto the active road. They were on their way to their destination for several seconds while Momo tried to remember everything that had happened since the last time she had seen Kenta. She visited once or twice a year, so it hadn’t been super long between her last visit and moving to Japan for school. In fact, the most surprising thing that had happened to Momo did so only a week prior. If they didn’t count her roommate dying. Which Momo was actively avoiding thinking about until they got to their location.

“I did lots of dancing! My last performance back home was for Madame Butterfly! We had a going away party with all of my friends after too! Lots of amazing pastries and even some presents! Then I moved here! Classes have been… challenging. It’s definitely different from my old school. Oh! I also met a guy last week at one of the Hoshimatsuri festival grounds! Oh! And another one on campus around the same time that wants to marry me if I get rich!”

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta

[Muruyama Kenta]

Another thing they had in common, with Kenta not being the brightest in terms of academic studies. Though obviously, he managed to prop himself up enough to skirt into UA. Meeting really driven people in prep school helped a ton…tho sometimes his friends could be just as distracting as they were helpful. What mattered was making it in the end.

He sat next to his Cousin as the bus started moving, settling in for the drive back home. Momo started replying to his question with her usual excitement. Technically it wasn’t that long since they were last in touch with her visiting, but given their start at school the time was hectic. So it was nice to catch up

“I think you mentioned the last show when we last spoke, I bet you had to prepare hard for that one….I’m glad the go-away party was fun! And yeah, UA is pretty wild, thou it is important to try and find some moments to do stuff you enjoy. I managed to slowly get back to my streams and all” he shared some of his woes before she mentioned meeting some new friends…guy friends specifically “heh, popular as ever I see…the gold digger isn’t bothering you too much tho? Cause me and Farrin can spook him a bit if you need to” he said half-jokingly. He wasn’t someone to look for trouble but he cared about Momo, so if there was some wierdo bugging her he was ready to help.

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

Momo tilted her head to the side, her brow furrowed above big blue eyes in obvious confusion. “Gold digger? Farrin? Spook him?” Kenta had hit her with a confusing onslaught on concepts and Momo turned them right back around as questions with an umbrella inquiry to cover them all under, “What do you mean?”

She had never heard the term gold digger. Momo’s family wasn’t exactly wealthy, though they weren’t poor either. She also didn’t run around in circles where labels like that were relevant. As for Farrin, the name was as foreign to Momo as the boy it belonged to was to Japan. Then for this mystery boy and Kenta to possibly spook Sebastian…

“It’s not even Halloween!”

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta

[Muruyama Kenta]

Kenta laughed a bit saying “I could have sworn I mentioned him to you. My pal from hero prep school, fit dude from Europe with a really awesome quirk… We got to hang out sometime, I’m sure it’ll be fun” he explained briefly. In his head he imagined Momo trying to decipher his accented Japanese would be funny…though maybe she was more used to different-sounding voices after being at the dance school before UA.

After that he said “We're almost halfway to Halloween tho! Kind of…hope it wont be as crazy as last year… And you know, gold digger, a guy or girl that wants to date someone and take their money… What I’m trying to say is, if the guy gets annoying and he wont want to go away I can try and help. Unless you actually do want to marry him huh?” he asked with a more teasing tone. He hoped he wasn’t accidentally dissing her boyfriend or something.

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“Maybe!”

Kenta had mentioned a lot of things to Momo. Try as she might, she struggled to remember anything that wasn’t exciting or important. Even then she often drew blanks. Maybe if people started communicating info to her in the form of elaborate dances, she would retain it better. She was just about to suggest this to Kenta, if only to see him try to dance, when he started explaining what a gold digger was.

“That’s so silly! People don’t fall in love with money! So if I do marry him, then he couldn’t be a gold digger because people only get married if they’re in love!”

It was a remarkably naive way of looking at things especially since Sebastian had flat out said he would marry her if she got rich, but Momo stubbornly held onto her viewpoint of love. “Besides, Sebastian isn’t the one I’m going on a date with!” She didn’t say exactly who that was because she suddenly remembered her manners.

“I appreciate you looking out for me though!”

The small talk continued until the bus pulled up at their designated stop. “Finally!” Patience wasn’t one of Momo’s virtues. She hopped up and slung her bag back over her shoulders. “Lead the way, Ken-kun!” He was the local expert, after all.

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta

[Muruyama Kenta]

He did try to be as enthusiastic as possible when he talked about his palls or prep school when he chatted with Momo…but I guess with how hectic their life was (and with them both being rather hyperactive) some things could have slipped. Still, he was looking forward to her reaction his his friend's voice.

He listened to her explain the situation…or at least why she didn’t think the guy fit the gold-digger credentials “Man…you’d be surprised how some people feel about money” he said, remembering some of the more snobby people at Prep school “Also, gold diggers are usually good at tricking people ya know. Just got to be careful with some people” he said, a bit less trusting in whoever said it to her, though he did at with a smile “Well, I hope you have a blast on that date!”

They continued to chat before the boss came to their stop. He let out a soft sigh as they stepped out of the bus…been a while since he was home. Even if he was happy at UA…he did miss it here sometimes. He would lead the way initially but they would soon be accosted by his parents meeting them at the bus station.

Afterward, it was a pleasant family time, all of them catching up, exchanging small gifts, and eating some food…after which they prepared for the ceremonies. As that time grew closer Kenta felt more and more…somber. Occasions like this never made him feel weird…but I guess before he never had a brush close to death. So as they were all at the local cemetery the usually jovial boy was more focused, and serious standing there in his floral Kimono

Aimoto Momo

Outfit reference

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

Momo was an expert on losing herself to the moment. Her mind wasn’t geared to think past the present. So as their family gathering unfolded, she was all smiles and sunshine. There was no room within her for remembering she was supposed to be anything but happy—at least for a while.

That changed as celebration shifted to ceremony. Momo felt the looming gloom in the back of her mind and radiating off her cousin as he got quieter and quieter. “You okay,” Momo asked quietly from his elbow. He didn’t seem okay, but maybe he had grown up more than she had since the last time they saw each other and was just being extra respectful. Unlikely considering Momo watched his streams and saw what he did regularly. Either way, Momo placed a soft hand on his shoulder just in case.

Notes & Tags: Muruyama Kenta

[Muruyama Kenta]

They were told about it a lot, it was practically drilled into their heads during all the live training scenarios. The dangers of the job, the risks, needing to be weary of your wellbeing, your teammates, the civilians. But it felt distant, like, when would something bad happen to him? And than it did…to him, his friends…someone he didn’t know…and that he’d never know now.

He was shook out of his morose state by Mei’s voice and hand on his shoulder. It felt like he spaced out for a moment…and now as he was back he felt his eyes were a bit watery. He raised his hand wiping them as he replied “Y-yeah…Sorry I kind of got lost in my thoughts…All the talk in school about safety kind of makes you think a bit different about all this stuff…You feeling good?” he asked trying to redirect the topic from himself. Though it wasn’t exactly hard to see he was a bit more shaken than his usual self.

Aimoto Momo