Floor 4, Room 1

[positivize]

Maya Amano

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[dadsandals]

[ This is also an incredibly loaded question, I am sorry for him, but. ]

I can give you the answer for the press: I got scouted and thought it'd be interesting to try it.

[ He pauses, considers something. ]

The real answer isn't that, though. It was revenge.

[positivize]

[What is CR-building but unknowingly stepping all over these landmines you weren't expecting!!

The official answer is, of course, as neutral as neutral goes. However, the additional honesty at the end does get her to blink, and it takes a second for it to click.]

...Wait, revenge? Was there something you wanted to prove...?

[Her first guess is it's about having a chip on his shoulder or something similar, but it's clear she's still trying to figure out what connects the idol gig with the concept of revenge.]

[dadsandals]

Nothing to prove. I wanted to expose part of the entertainment industry. I know a lot of their secrets, thanks to my father.

[ Yeah. He's...he's a lot! Please don't write this in your article Maya - ]

...Heh. Sorry, that's probably more than you needed to know!

[positivize]

[Scribbles all of this down furiously-- okay no, she doesn't even have her notebook open in front of her, so the most she could do is write this on her curry with condiments!! (She's not going to do that, that would be weird.)]

O-Oh, it's alright, really. It's just a little surprising, that's all. I mean, you'd really need to have it out for them to go that far, right?

[dadsandals]

... Yeah. Ties in with family stuff – my father's an actor. He orchestrated a lot of things that I was naturally privy to, as a kid.

[ He doesn't elaborate more, though. He already feels bad enough for saying anything to poor Maya, so. ]

It's a long story – I don't have a good relationship with him.

[positivize]

[...Ah. This isn't the first time she's encountered someone with a strained relationship to their family, and it probably won't be the last. But there are also differences when it comes to how frayed those connections are--where Yamato lands on that scale of irreparable or not, well. She might have a guess.]

I suppose it'd be pretty hard to trust him after knowing all that... [But there is a tinge of sadness in her voice as she says it.]

...Have you ever thought you'd be able to reconcile?

[dadsandals]

Heh...I thought about it. A few times, actually. All I wanted was for him to just...tell me that he was sorry. There's a lot to it, but...yeah.

[ She sounds sad, yeah -- is that for him? Or can she relate, he wonders? ]

He sends me flowers after our performances, sometimes, but I don't want them.

[ He just wanted his dad to love him. That's all he's ever asked for. ]

So maybe. Maybe not. I...I don't know.

[positivize]

Then...

[She shakes her head, like she's reevaluating what she was going to say.]

I think... it's okay to not know exactly what you want. But if there's a part of you that wants to reach out, then I think you should consider it. You never know when you might not have the chance anymore...

[dadsandals]

[ Maya... He sees her expression shift. He frowns, at that. Maybe he should change the subject, pretend like he didn't say anything, but - ]

Did something happen with your family? Sorry, it's just - you sound like you're speaking from experience.

[positivize]

[At that, Maya blinks like she's been snapped out of whatever thoughts she had been wrapped up in, looking a little like a deer caught in the headlights.]

O-Oh. No, it's-- ["nothing" is what she's about to say, but there's a pause before the words leave her lips. It's not something she's used to talking about, but Yamato has already shared some personal details of his own, so the least she could do is provide a bit of context here.]

It's just... My dad's not around anymore, so it's always a little sad to see when someone doesn't get along with their parents.

[dadsandals]

[ He's met people with horrible fathers, but he's never met one with a father who simply isn't around anymore. It makes him feel pretty bad about complaining about his dad so much, now, and his expression softens, mellows out when he looks at her again. ]

...Sorry, Maya. I'm sorry for bringing it up. We don't have to keep talking about it.

[ That's going to make him think for a bit, that's for sure. ]

[positivize]

[There's a moment where she looks a little taken aback by the apology, but she tries for a reassuring smile in response. It might not be as bright as her usual ones, but it is sincere.]

No, don't worry about it! It's been a long time, so it's not a big deal, really. Besides, I was the one asking about your dad in the first place... You don't have anything to apologize for.

[dadsandals]

[ He still feels a little bad, but she's taking it in stride. He'll meet her smile with one of his own. ]

Heh...family stuff isn't easy, is it. If you ever need to talk about it, I've been told I'm a good listener.

[positivize]

[She's not really used to unloading her concerns on other people, but that doesn't mean she doesn't understand and appreciate the sentiment. Maybe one day...?!]

Thanks for the offer. But that goes both ways, too--if you're ever having a rough time, I can lend an ear! We have to help each other out at times like these.