[Yasu has, technically speaking, been to several holiday parties. Actually participating in one, however, is a novel experience—before her "enrollment" in Ira Academy, Yasu's contributions to the Ushiromiya Christmas functions consisted of frenetic pre-dinner cleaning and looking in longingly at the dining hall like a good Dickensian orphan.
And like any good Dickensian orphan, especially one that grappled with a starvation motive), the first thing that draws Yasu's attention is the scrumptious meal on offer. She hovers by the buffet table, reverent and paralyzed by indecision, until the silver-colored fox kit (with a peculiar collar that has a large sign that says "ON PAROLE" hanging from her neck) that accompanies Yasu everywhere bumps into her leg to signal to her to get a move on... at which point she flinches, overcompensates, flails, and ends up tumbling backwards and into some unfortunate passerby.] A- Ah! I'm sorrrryyyy! [The fox has the decency to look mildly admonished, at least.]
[After Yasu gets her fill, she drifts to the piano as if compelled by gravity. A smile spreads across her face as she sits down to run her fingers across the keys. There's a brief moment of hesitation. Then, the fox kit curls up in Yasu's lap, all awareness of the outside world fades, and Yasu starts playing.
It's hardly professional quality, or even high school band quality. Yasu's just a hobbyist, after all; the only reason why she plays is that she formed a habit after using piano practice as a pretext for secret rendezvous for more than a month. But no matter how good or bad or mediocre she sounds, it's clear from the light shining from her face that she's playing from the heart. When Yasu finishes the playing through the (short) list of songs she knows by heart, it may finally dawn on her that somebody else is by the piano.]
Oh! Would you, um, like to... [Yasu looks down at the napping fox in her lap and trails off.] A- actually, I need a few more minutes. [She smiles fondly, petting the fox as gently as she can so as not to disturb her.]
"Yasu" | Umineko no Naku Koro Ni (Manga) | Castle Whimsical R2
And like any good Dickensian orphan, especially one that grappled with a starvation motive), the first thing that draws Yasu's attention is the scrumptious meal on offer. She hovers by the buffet table, reverent and paralyzed by indecision, until the silver-colored fox kit (with a peculiar collar that has a large sign that says "ON PAROLE" hanging from her neck) that accompanies Yasu everywhere bumps into her leg to signal to her to get a move on... at which point she flinches, overcompensates, flails, and ends up tumbling backwards and into some unfortunate passerby.] A- Ah! I'm sorrrryyyy! [The fox has the decency to look mildly admonished, at least.]
[After Yasu gets her fill, she drifts to the piano as if compelled by gravity. A smile spreads across her face as she sits down to run her fingers across the keys. There's a brief moment of hesitation. Then, the fox kit curls up in Yasu's lap, all awareness of the outside world fades, and Yasu starts playing.
It's hardly professional quality, or even high school band quality. Yasu's just a hobbyist, after all; the only reason why she plays is that she formed a habit after using piano practice as a pretext for secret rendezvous for more than a month. But no matter how good or bad or mediocre she sounds, it's clear from the light shining from her face that she's playing from the heart. When Yasu finishes the playing through the (short) list of songs she knows by heart, it may finally dawn on her that somebody else is by the piano.]
Oh! Would you, um, like to... [Yasu looks down at the napping fox in her lap and trails off.] A- actually, I need a few more minutes. [She smiles fondly, petting the fox as gently as she can so as not to disturb her.]