[ cardia deserves a better otome route than jae-ha ]

[alttitude]

what if i live enough weeks to actually justify this catch all

Comments

week 0, friday

[alttitude]

[when jae-ha normally wanders around the castle, it's looking for company. with the intention of finding people in order to chat with them, regardless of the topic.

today it feels like there are too many people everywhere - and he wonders why it is that this castle feels so small.

when he moves to enter a room and finds cardia there (idk where kia, pick a location) he seems to take a moment to consider it. he likes cardia, but ultimately decides it's because he likes cardia that he'd rather not burden her. so he moves to step out again - ]

... excuse me.

[CATCH HIM, TRIP HIM, DO SOMETHING]

[discardia]

...

Pardon me.

[ and very swiftly, Cardia darts forward, extends a leg and hooks her foot around his ankle to try and trip him. Because yeah, she's very much concerned he's going to disappear if she doesn't stop him. Forcibly. ]

[alttitude]

[god bless cardia

because jae-ha wasn't expecting that and as such he's going to end up flat right on his back. he blinks owlishly, surprised even out of his sadness as he wonders out loud]

..... Cardia?

Or.

An assassin?

week 0; post-execution

[discardia]

[ She's had some time to calm down. She's also had some time to let those tears of relief out, even though her eyes are now red-rimmed and she's sure Lupin would have something to say about that if he was here.

But he's not, so it's fine.

But for now? she's going to seek out Jae-ha with the air of a girl on a mission. ]

[alttitude]

[Jae-ha is - managing. He's tired, so he's yawning a bit more often, but for now he's found himself tuning his erhu somewhere by a window.

He's always by a window.

When he catches sight of Cardia, he stops what he's doing immediately and blinks in confusion.]

Dear Miss Cardia? Are you alright?

week 1, tuesday

[alttitude]

[Ah - it's snowing.

Jae-ha notes this quietly as he stares out the window, and then begins his search. When he finds Cardia, it's with a smile - and his arms behind his back.]

Lovely Miss Cardia, do you have a second?

[discardia]

Eh?

[ Cardia blinks, drawn from whatever thoughts she happened to be stuck in. ]

Um, yes. What's the matter, Jae-ha?

week 1, sunday

[alttitude]

[ . . . . it had been a mess.

That much was for certain, and Jae-ha looks for Cardia after everything. She'd said she wanted to believe in Akechi, he remembers hearing it. Given what everyone else was saying, what they were believing in... how did she feel?

So he'll go off to look for her, wherever she might be.]

Dear Miss Cardia....?

[discardia]

[ Looking out the window, honestly, because this is what Sad Otome Protags do when they don't lock themselves in their rooms.

But Cardia turns away from it, lowering her palm from the pane. ]

Hello.

[ It's the most listless greeting ever. ]

week 2, wednesday

[alttitude]

[if you asked jae-ha if spent extra time picking out a flower crown for Cardia, then he would deny it

he'd be lying!

but regardless he's going to deposit on her head as a surprise, humming happily as he does]

Perfect!

[discardia]

Wh--

[ hold on, she's going to reach up to touch it. ]

What's this for?

week 2, friday

[discardia]

[ Everything is fine. Everything is fine. Cardia is dry-eyed and sitting by herself in the library, looking down at a book and also apparently engrossed in it.

Although she's not actually registering any of the words, so that's fine. ]

[alttitude]

[ . . . .

Hm.

The first time he sees her, he doesn't approach. He goes to the kitchen instead. There, he prepares a teapot full of tea and two teacups, and then sets them on a tray. He brings his little set back to where Cardia sits, taking a seat by her.]

I hope you don't mind if I join you.

week 2, saturday

[alttitude]

[Jae-ha's agitated.

It shows in small ways, the way that he flicks his hair over his shoulder or how he can't seem to stay in the same place. He flits from one room to another in the castle, even if he eventually finds himself in the library, placing his hands on one of the bookshelves and just sighing to himself.]

... what the hell am I doing....

[discardia]

What are you doing?

[ that's an excellent question, Jae-ha. We meet again in the library, apparently. ]

week 3, wednesday

[discardia]

[ Pucker up, buttercup.

Because when Cardia sees him, her eyes are narrowing, and she's most definitely aiming a right hook?? At his jaw?????

Hi. ]

[alttitude]

[Okay.

Jae-ha was absolutely going to greet her with some sweet words, and then he's getting decked. It's probably valid and he absolutely gets hit - though he's knocked mostly out of surprise rather than pain. Cardia's punches don't hurt as bad as Hak's but they still sting (♥)]

Wh-What?!

week 3, saturday

[discardia]

[ Sooooooo guess who's sitting silently in the shadows somewhere with a corgi whining worriedly beside her because she doesn't seem to be responding to him?

Yeah, it's that girl you rejected! She's having a delightful week. ]

[alttitude]

[ . . . yeah, sounds fake.

Jae-ha is apprehensive about approaching her. He absolutely is. Given what he's done, and how she hasn't seemed to approach him since, he's not sure what to do. Yet when he sees her sitting there, alone and with Sisi quietly whining at her... He knocks against the nearest wall, a tapping of his knuckles against the surface to get her attention before he speaks soflty.]

... Cardia.

[ . . . ]

I know - I might be the last person you want to see.

... but I'm worried about you. Is it alright, if I just don't leave you alone for now?

week 5; wednesday

[discardia]

... What are you doing?

[ Because whatever is happening, that sure is Jae-ha in a weird-ass spot and Cardia isn't sure if she ought to be concerned or not. ]

[alttitude]

[he's on the diving board, positioned at the very edge, trying to get a closer look at a wooden box that seems to be stuck on one of the floaties]

... trying to see if that's what I think it is?

[it's a weak explanation but]

Can you swim, Cardia?

week 5, also wednesday post-cyoa

[alttitude]

[Anyway, he's taking her to the infirmary - because it's dirty and he doesn't trust any of the medicine there, but he at least knows there are bandages that can be cleaned and used. So he'll keep her in his arms as he jumps over, not interested in wasting much time.]

- Are you alright? From what I overheard, it sounded frightening.

[discardia]

... I really thought Sanji was going to die. He was refusing to fight them at first.

[ Well. Of course that was the most frightening part. ]

week 7, saturday

[alttitude]

[ . . . it's not like he could ever avoid her.

Sometime after the trial, he goes to seek her out. He brings his erhu in hand, like he's going to be with her for long enough that he'd like to get some practice in, and offers a smile.]

... all's well that ends well, is it?

[discardia]

[ Well, there's an instrument she hasn't seen in a while.

Cardia still looks very much tired from Literally Everything that's happened, but she can at least return his smile now. ]

Yes. But I'd be happy if we never have to do something like this ever again.