week two | mingle

[showhost]

Welcome to week two, Teens Who Are Definitely Searching for Love!

Hopefully everyone got a lot of rest over the weekend, and are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the upcoming week, because there are a few things of interest this week.

But first, some changes of note in the house!

First: there is a giant rectangular box on the living room table, addressed to Lessing. It is a care package. The only thing in it is his sword.

There is some Bauernbrot bread on the counter. Ask Lessing about that too.

There is now a hot tub near the pool. It’s large enough to seat about six teens comfortably, but you can get more in there if you really try for some reason.

Okay I think that’s everything. Additionally, Tsukasa is here early this week! He’s looking pretty perky, seemingly recovered from the Match Ceremony, and he’s got some interesting info to share with everyone.

Embrace Space | Property Damage, etc | Dates | Mini-Event
Truth Booth Voting | Match Ceremony Submissions

Comments

[counton]

[ It does help then figure one thing out really fast, and Akechi was right for the suggestion he made, though... ]

Is that alright with you?

[ It's not like they had so much time to get to know each other in week one to really call anything true love (other than Anna), but it doesn't mean it might not be disappointing for Mark to hear. ]

[titlecard]

Oh— Um, yeah.

[ He gives Lessing a little smile, like, yeah! He's okay! ]

I mean, Josuke's awesome, but so are a lot of the girls here. I'm sure everything's still gonna work out.

[counton]

This is true.

[ He's got a lot of good options still, and if it's like that...

Maybe the time spent together fostered a decent friendship, but not much else? That would be better for both of them if that's the case. ]

[titlecard]

[ That is true.

Mark's smile broadens, like, hey, man of few words. ]

Kind of looks like you were thinking something else. It's alright, you can tell me.

[counton]

I was just thinking... If I'm being honest, I came here for the promise of the wish more than the promise of romance. It's probably pretty stupid on my part, but I'm just now realizing people's feelings could really be hurt in a competition like this as things go on.

[ He knows Anna has gotten upset a few times, but it's not like Will has rejected her, even if other people keep picking fights. ]

[titlecard]

I— No, you're not alone. I came here for the wish, too. Romance would also be nice, but it's the wish I'm after. Was after— Still am after. I don't know.

[ As time has gone on, he has maybe started to get sucked a bit more into the actual premise, ]

But you're right... I didn't realize that things had the potential to get messy. Even though it feels like most of us are on good terms, it's starting to get more complicated, isn't it?

[counton]

[ He doesn't know, huh? Lessing's brow furrows slightly, but he doesn't say more on it. He doesn't know Mark super well himself, but he seems like a good guy. If he wants love, then Lessing hopes he can find it. ]

Probably. With people encouraged to date around, it seems like it'd be easy for multiple people to start liking the same person.

[ He's ignoring the fact that it's technically happened already. He doesn't think Minami is serious in going after Will. ]

[titlecard]

Yeah.

[ Absolutely oblivious to the fact that he could be that same person. And also choosing to ignore the whole Will thing, in part because that's definitely not his problem anymore. ]

I mean, it makes sense since we're on a time limit and all, but I didn't think people could start getting attached until... well. [ He shrugs. ] Until now, I guess.

[ A beat. ]

What do you think about you and Ritsuka?

[counton]

[ Mark....

He won't push things though. It's not like he'd have comforting words even if he did. Instead he'll pause as he decides how he wants to say this... ]

I don't really know who the producers would consider a good match for me, but it would probably be convenient if it was Ritsuka. The two of us have talked some, and I think the way we want things to go in the end is pretty similar.

[titlecard]

[ He's fine! It's fine.

He does raise an eyebrow at the idea of Ritsuka being convenient for Lessing — convenient is probably not the word to use in a dating game, but then again, Lessing is a lot more chill about all of this so, fair enough — but recovers semi-smoothly enough.

Like, by the time Lessing is done talking he's at least thinking about things. ]

So maybe you guys have a common goal? That's... not a bad reason at all. I mean, if we're factoring the long-term into all of this...

[ Which. He's not sure if anyone actually is, but... maybe Lessing is one of those people? ]

[counton]

[ It's not exactly a word that makes everyone feel warm and fuzzy, but from what he does know of her, he doesn't think Ritsuka would be offended by it. ]

At least long enough to know what happens when the show ends.

[titlecard]

[ She probably wouldn't be. Maybe they are the match after all... ]

Yeah. [ ... ] It'd be nice, though. To be able to keep in touch after.

[ Or maybe something more, but that really depends on how successful some of these matches end up being. ]

[counton]

[ It's hard given the situation they find themselves in, but...

Let's give Mark something to cheer him up some. ]

Anna was telling me earlier that her wish will be for a way for all of us to stay in contact, so it might work out for us.

[titlecard]

[ That does the trick; Mark indeed perks up. ]

Well, we gotta make sure we win now. [ A beat. ] And make sure everyone keeps their wish.

[counton]

[ A firm nod at that. It's good to see that Mark looks a little cheered by that idea. Good job thinking of it, Anna. ]

That was always the plan, right?

[ That was always his plan at least. ]

[titlecard]

Yeah — we can't let anyone down.

[ average protag answer, but he also really, genuinely means it. ]

[counton]

[ Bless you protag types. Lessing's a little more of a pragmatist, but that sort of optimistic mindset is encouraging, if for no other reason than it means people won't throw in the towel too early when things get hard.

Hopefully anyway. ]

Exactly.