They're not even velcro....

[eternallypunished]

Okay...I'm only going to say this once.

[Closes eyes, takes a deeeeep breath.]

Shut UP about my shoes. Yeah, haha, they have a zipper, obviously this means I've never tied laces before. Right.

[...Wow, this is, uh, a little angrier than expected. Actually, this is being taken the wrong way. Obviously you know how to tie shoes, the zippers just seemed a little...well, silly.]

And? Why do you even care? It's convenient. Is convenience funny to you?

[N.......No? It was just a joke, man, come on.]

Oh wow, a joke? From you? You're kidding, what a surprise. What even are you? You're like a Bizarro Katusya who jokes about everything but still has this need to nitpick anyway. What's your deal?

[...Okay, obviously you need to cool your jets so I'll just back off. Do what you want. For the record, though, the zipper shoes are endearing.]

...Tch. I'm eighteen, not five.

Comments

[spelucky]

[Leo gives a small chuckle at the boy's distress.] Ah, I'm sure your mun meant no harm by it, my friend.

Mine likes to joke that I have a thing for leather straps and buckles.

I think that zipper-shoes are... charming! In fact- my friend Emilie has a pair much like those.

[eternallypunished]

Ah...Thanks, I guess. [Charming isn't really what he thinks of when it comes to his shoes, but oh well. Tatsuya sighs and reaches for the lighter in his pocket.]

Good, cuz he's acting like he's never seen them before. It's so annoying you'd think he's training as an Olympic athlete in being annoying.

[spelucky]

[Leo laughs again.] Ah, I wouldn't worry about it. Many would find your shoes to be quite stylish, I'm sure....

[A pause.] In fact, the last time I ventured into the city, I'm fairly certain that I saw a large group of teenage schoolgirls with shoes very similar! I suppose their popularity must be spreading.

[Among cutsey schoolgirls]

[eternallypunished]

[...Oh. Okay, he sees where this is going.]

These are men's tennis shoes...

[You know. For men.]

[warriorscribe]

Why does he care about your shoes?

*Says the man for whom most shoes are strange-looking.*

[eternallypunished]

He thinks it's funny.

[He can't help but roll his eyes while he explains.]

Something about how I don't have time to stop and tie my shoes or whatever. I don't know.

[warriorscribe]

*A glance down at his own feet - his sandals are hidden beneath his armor's boots, though.* ...I still don't understand.

*He's owned sandals he literally just had to slip on and be done with it. And then there are these, which don't take that long to strap on at all. And he doesn't see what the big deal is.*

[eternallypunished]

There, you see? [This aside is presumably directed toward the player, or else he would be speaking at nothing.] Shoe-tying isn't a "needed life-skill."

[Never said that it was...] ...Good. I...[coughs] know how to do it, obviously. [Yes, of course you do.]

[Stone silence.]

Right...glad we cleared that up.

[Yeah, it could be worse! He could always have another pair of shoes that light up on the bottom. God, remember those-]

Shut up! [Aheh, sorry...]

[warriorscribe]

Shoes that-...ah. All...right...

*Seriously, what good did that do?*

[deathboss]

Taachan!

...dude you sound pretty tense. You okay?

now the keywords are relevant lmao

[eternallypunished]

[Ohh. Ohhhhhh great. Fantastic.]

Ahh, uh. [...What does he do? He didn't...really think about actually encountering anyone from the Other Side. ...He's assuming this is the Eikichi from the Other Side, with the familiarity. The alternative is that he remembered and, well...Tatsuya awkwardly coughs and tries to detrail that train of thought.]

Yeah, don't worry about it. It's just annoying, is all.

Ahahaha a+ 1/2

[deathboss]

[Something's wrong here. For a few seconds, he stares at Tatsuya.]

2/2

[deathboss]

[Thumbs up!]

Well shoes aside, that new outfit you got looks real good on you!

[eternallypunished]

[...Heh. God bless Eikichi for being a dumbass.]

Thanks, man.

[No snide comment about Eikichi's fashion sense, no shrugging it off, no nothing. Just genuine thanks.]

[deathboss]

[...yeah something is definitely wrong. You didn't crack a remark.]

...I'm taking you to a hospital.

while i wait for my laundry to wash, you get rika instead of homura tho

[defyfate]

I think they're kind of cute, mii.

!!!!!!!

[eternallypunished]

[THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CUTE OR CHARMING OR WHATEVER THEY'RE JUST SHOES why does everyone keep SAYING that??? Ugh, okay deep breaths. He doesn't exactly want to blow up over something so silly.]

If you say so, but I don't really see it...

[defyfate]

[She laces her fingers behind her back and stares up at Tatsuya, looking as innocent and child-like as can be.]

Miii, I bet they're much easier too, right? You don't have to worry about tying them up, just zipzip and you're ready to go!

[eternallypunished]

[Oof, this sweetness is practically giving him heartburn. Disgusting. She's just a kid, though, so he's a little more lenient.]

Yeah, that's kinda the point. I don't get why he thinks it's funny...

[runtothesunlight]

I didn't know they still made those.

[Hi, have a kid from the late 2000s/early 2010s.]

[eternallypunished]

[Oh, haha, was that some kind of joke??? Because he...er...doesn't get it. No really, it kinda flew over his head.]

What do you mean "still make those"?

[runtothesunlight]

[What joke? He was just stating a fact. :|]

That brand was discontinued in 2001. Are they bringing it back now?

[eternallypunished]

No, why would they-[But they were his....favor....ite...wait a minute. Realization dawns as he slowly gets that he's talking to someone who's been past 1999. He suddenly gets quiet and stares at a focused point on the floor.]

Uh...[Tatsuya suddenly makes eye contact again.] Are you...are you from a different year or something?

[heartboobs]

I like your shoes! They're very stylish! Hip with the times!

[Maya, who even says that anymore? But for the record, she also agrees with your mun that they're endearing.

... She won't say that part out loud, though.]

[eternallypunished]

[H-hip with the times....sure. He'll take it.]

Hah, thanks. I don't get why it's so funny, though...