[PP-F1] A Smile To Start (Katsumi)

[Lee_Song-Fang 0]

Lee Song-Fang stood at the ponds bank, leaning over just slightly enough so that he could look down onto the shallow water's surface at his own reflection. It was nice that he was able to enjoy the same type of things in the game as he did in others. While this life had become his 'real world' for the time being, it was still a game. A game that had costly consequences but a game none the less and because of that, he had to find all the elements he could as to why he would enjoy it like any other. Is any game, there was also some sort of safe area and in that area, usually some sort of fountain or source of water and if not, he would simply have to improvise. He would tilt his head to the side and continue to smile down at his reflection as if he were meeting another person.

"Keep your chin up and surely all things will get better." Every now and again, it was always good to remind even himself this and of course, his smile never faltered. Though, he would end up having to take a wander around the town in order to see if there was another individual he could console or help in some way or another, it was becoming common place now and he was happy for that.

[Katsumi 0]

Katsumi was strolling her way through the Town of Beginnings, she had her scabbard attached to the side of her black knee-length skirt. Her white blouse unblemished by anything which displayed her lack of travel in the world. It was obvious she was still in her beginners outfit, aside from a very large pink rose that was placed in her hair on purpose for aesthetic's. Her long luscious orangish-blonde hair fluttering in the light wind that the floor produced on a semi-constant basis.

Never had Katsumi been so afraid of doing actions in her entire life, it was as if her entire life were to be re-written for trying out a game from another company. She looked around somewhat frightened over the world that she now lived in, she noticed a man with white hair standing at a pond looking into his own reflection. As she slowly approached, the man spoke. At first she thought her presence was noticed, but it turned out that the man was definitely talking to himself. She began to chuckle slightly, "So, do you talk to yourself often?" She asked, her confidence in herself immediately renewing itself to her normal confident self.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Katsumi

[Lee_Song-Fang 0]

The whited dressed man would continue to look at himself till the sound of another would catch his attention. He would take a moment to straighten himself out and not go tumbling into the water and for once, not on purpose. As he would reach his full posture, he would let his head turn its attention toward the voice and once it had found the orange haired woman, it would stop, his seemingly closed eyes locking themselves on her as he would answer her question "Sometimes it's the most intelligent conversation I can get but for the most part, it's to keep myself company." He would look the female player up and down and from the looks of things, she was not a high level but at that very notion, he had been lead to believe that before and he was proved very wrong.

Though, this wouldn't matter either way as he wasn't one for judging, be it better or worse. "What about you? Do you find yourself in conversations that are a bit one sided?" He would let his arms move themselves to his back and rest against one another comfortably as he awaited a response.

[Katsumi 0]

Katsumi thought about what the person said, she put her delicate fingers up onto her chin. After a moment the Orangish-Blonde haired girl responded in kind, "I definitely understand what you mean, I find conversations with myself to be far more enlightening than most of those I talk to in person!" She laughed to signify that she was obviously joking about her comment, the obvious amount of sarcasm was rather evident as well. "Personally, I do enjoy the company of other people, the conversations you have with others tend to alter one's thought process. Just something I have learned in my years." She stated with a smile.

"I tend to try and keep every single conversation I have driven by both people who are talking. Even if I'm not apart of the conversation as well!" She blurted out, giving out a hint that she had a slight problem with eavesdropping on other's conversations. Her striking up the conversation with the man would be a dead give away to that fact. Her Topaz eyes looked at his which seemed like they were perpetually closed, "What brings you to this pond, having a small conversation with yourself anyways?" She asked.

[Lee_Song-Fang 0]

It was most pleasing to see that it was not uncommon for a person to be talking with themselves, more over that she was not unfamiliar with it. She herself seemed to have the same kind of feeling that he had of the subject. He would chuckle as she spoke of how speaking with other people would help change one's outlook on things and that was always a better thing. "I can agree with you on that. It's always good to be flexible when talking with others if you."

He would hear her speaking about driving conversations that even she wasn't originally apart of going to which he would raise one of his arms so that his sleeve would cover his mouth as he would laugh lightly and then lower his hand. "I know that feeling all too well, for better or worse." As she would ask about the pond he would turn his attention to the water and then move his arms back to his sides as he would give his reply "It's become my own little spot that I can think to myself or hope that others might come to enjoy it too. There is enough going on in the game that it's always nice to take the time to simply enjoy the scenery in a safe area of the game." He would then look back toward the topaz eyed girl "What about yourself? Wandering around the tower for fun?"

[Katsumi 0]

Katsumi listened to the man carefully, it seemed he understood her point about talking to other people, "Well I am glad we have the same general point of view." She giggled lightly covering her mouth with her hand. She watched his body movements as he covered his mouth to laugh, Katsumi enjoyed the fact that the man had a bit of a sense of humor. He then commented about the feeling of eavesdropping on people which caused her to look away slightly and scratch the back of her head, "I can't help but do it." She chuckled.

After a bit of the man's talking, she had a realization which she would soon enact upon, "I can totally understand the feeling. There is a lot going on in this game, I am just trying to get a feel for it while reading the Information Broker's Handbook." She responded as she pulled out the book from her inventory and patted it with her hand. He would continue on to ask her a question, "I am just roaming around the Town of Beginnings trying to familiarize myself with the layout of town completely while at the same time trying to read as much of this book as I possibly can. Have you read it?" She asked, after a second she would clear her voice, "First it would be appropriate for me to introduce myself. I am Katsumi, it is a pleasure to meet you." She would lightly bow in a lady like fashion.

[Lee_Song-Fang 0]

"Likewise." It would be his reply to her speaking of being rather happy with the fact that they were on the same level. As she spoke about not being able to help the fact that she intervened in conversations, he would add "I tend to physically drop myself into most situations so I think it might be a compulsive thing for us it seems." When she spoke of her understanding of just how much was going on with the so-called death game. He would turn his attention to a book that she withdrew that she dubbed the Information Broker's Handbook and that she was simply going where her feet lead her in the safety of the town itself and getting her bearings and asked if he himself had read the book.

There was a bit of silence from the player as he would look off to the side, laugh hesitantly and scratch the back of his head "I kinda sorta...gave mine away before ever actually reading it." She would then begin her introduction and claim her name to be Katsumi and greeting him properly. He would clear his throat and raise an arm so that his hand would emerge from his sleeve and place it onto his chest and bow in her direction "A pleasure to meet you Katsumi. I'm Lee Song-Fang though you can just call me Lee." 

[Katsumi 0]

She chuckled as the man would notify her that it might be a more compulsive sort of thing with the two of them, "You know I couldn't agree more with you. It's just an impulse to jump into other peoples conversations or issues they are having." She stated honestly, to the man she had just recently met. She chuckled for a little longer till she had a sigh of relief from her laughter. Then the white haired man brought up his embarrassment, "You really need to read it! Have you even learned about the top five players in Aincrad?" She exclaimed her question flipping to the top five players page.

She would hand him the book promptly after he appropriately introduced himself, "Lee Song-Fang... Is that your name out in the real world?" She asked him, her curiosity would be increased the more she talked to the man, "Regardless of it is or not. It is good to properly meet you Lee." She said happily as she tilted her head slightly as she smiled showing a cuter side to her personality besides solely her more confident personality.

[Lee_Song-Fang 0]

The slit-eyed player would nod in total compliance as she agreed with him. "I know, right? I think my knack for trying to fix things goes to peoples problems and issues even if it isn't the most sane or healthy thing to do sometimes." She would then come to comment about the guidebook and just one of the many interesting subjects within and it just so happened to be on the subject of strong players and she would flip through the book to said page to which he would raise a finger and comment. "It is actually funny that you bring that up, I actually met one of the players that should be in the book coincidentally and before I forget."

Lee would flick his wrist and the menu would appear before him as he would quickly go through the motions and send Katsumi a friend request. He would then dismiss the screen and reach out and take the book into his own hand as she offered it to him and he would glance down at it as she would ask if his real name was the same as his player to which he would shake his head "It's always nice to meet someone new and no, I just thought up the name one day and it stuck. Shang Fang is my real world name. Is Katsumi your name in real life?" 

[Katsumi 0]

Katsumi listened intently when Lee mentioned, that he had coincidentally met one of the players that happened to reside in the book. He dropped his menu and suddenly a message appeared in front of Katsumi, while at the same time Lee took the book from the girls hand. She read the message that asked if she would like to be one of Lee Song-Fang's friends. She smiled and chuckled, "I would happily be your friend Lee." She responded as she pressed the button accepting the friend request.

Lee foolishly gave his true actual name in the real world to her, "I didn't mean for you to give me your actual first name! I apologize dearly, I wasn't trying to pry for said information. It was just strange that your name was very similar to one might have in the real world. Katsumi is not my real name, and I am not always comfortable giving it out in games. But since I cannot hide my identity, and if you read gaming news-articles you've probably seen my face before. I am Kikyo, Miharu Kikyo one of the lead designers of top gaming firm in Tokyo." She responded, a few different sets of emotions fluttering through her statement as she was trying to collect herself from the sudden surprise. She cleared her throat, "But do tell me of one of the players you happened to meet?" She asking with a serious amount of curiosity 

[Lee_Song-Fang 0]

Lee would smile just a bit brighter as his request was met with acceptance and we rather happy with the fact that she also seemed cheerful with the offer "Thank you kindly Katsumi." It was something he had made a point to try and get the ID's of people in order to better help them when the occupation arose when he would be in the position to do so. He gave way to pause as Katsumi would then bring up the point that he had actually given her his actual name to which he would place a finger onto his chin in a mild point of bewilderment as she would go on to say that it would be rude for her not to say her own at this point and that she was actually an article writer for a game magazine which reminded him of another friend he had that seemed to be in the same field of work. "You didn't have to tell me and I really am sorry if I made you think you had too. I just figure what could be the harm given our current situation."

He would then move his arms to his sides "I think I might, I read a lot into games from gamer magazines though I tend to be a more hands on than anything." As she would bring up what player he had seen, he would nod in agreement "His name was Dom annnndddd...." He would look down at the book he was handed and use his finger to skim through the names and found the only one that would seem appropriate "...Dom....Dom...Sen Dom, Ssendom."