player event: spring speed-dating festival

[socialize]

Speed-dating Spring Festival

Believe in your flyness, conquer your shyness.

breaking the ice

Lonely and looking for love? Friends, maybe? Well look no further—the ASUNARO-sponsored Spring Speed-dating Festival has begun. Join us in room 3-A, where participants will then be given an assignment of "even" or "odd" and seated at a numbered table. You only have so long to talk to your partner before the bell rings and it's time to move on, but not to worry, if you find someone you like, the two of you can step out together! At the end of each round, "even" players will stay at their tables, and "odd" will move to the next. This is mostly flavour, but there is one important piece to keep in mind: in the interest of nobody being left out, leaving before the end of the event is only allowed in pairs.

Better hope you find someone you click with!

Icebreakers:

1. Do you have a party trick?
2. Exploring or lazing on the beach?
3. If you could be granted three wishes, what would they be?
4. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
5. If your friends compared you to an animal, which animal would it be?
6. A human hand extends out of the toilet! What do you do?
7. What would be the title of your biography?

Or anything else you can think of!

getting to know each other

So you've found someone you vibe with—congratulations! The next step is getting to know each other a little more. Cementing the bond, y'know? But high school is maybe a little young for marriage, so let's stick to the dates.

For the duration of the festival, classroom 3-E has been transformed into a makeshift movie theatre. Stop in with your date to watch one of these heart-racing movies, guaranteed to bring you and your date closer together! For the more romantic of the bunch, classroom 3-B will be home to dance lessons. Find a partner and get to know a Waltz, Argentine Tango, or request another, and try not to step on each other's feet as you get up-close and personal.

Movie showings: (CW: They're all horror)

April 25: Other Side of the Box
April 26: My Best Friend's Wedding
April 27: The Ballerina
April 28: Don't Look Away
April 29: The Mandela Catalogue Part.1

together forever

At the end of the event, two lucky winners will receive a secret grand prize!

Anyone else who finds someone willing to pair up with them can write both of their names for entry into a raffle for a runner-up prize. Winners of the raffle will be given the choice between riches, quality of life, or valuable information as a thanks for participating and a congratulations on their new life together.

Comments

[antitoxin]

Oh, it's true... it's honestly embarrassing...!

[ cruel to see, but there's nothing romantic about being mean to your partner when they both probably (did not) pick one another. he sighs sadly, shaking his head with a bit of flair and dramatics. ]

But we shouldn't give up on them, perhaps we should get a little closer to offer a word of advice in this dying romance...

[ it's a friendship, but it's speed dating, and so romance is flexible here. ]

Would you like to dance, Miss Helena?

[decrypter]

I'd love it, but...

[she laughs a little. he knows as well as she does that she's not good at standing for too long right now, let alone the complicated movements of a dance.]

It's just a bit of bad luck, isn't it? Perhaps I'll have to owe you for when I'm well again.

[antitoxin]

...What's wrong?

[ he knows why she says it, but there's so many ways to see this through.

she can hear him rounding the wheelchair that she sits in to stand behind her, and he places his hands on the handles waiting for her to tuck herself into the chair properly. ]

You can still dance, even like this. I can show you if allowed, Miss Helena. I want everyone to participate after all.

[decrypter]

You can't just say that and not show me, doctor - I'd be terribly upset in that case.

[you can't give her ✨hope✨ and then take it away. she uses the arm rests to get herself properly situated again, head turned up in his direction.]

Please, when the music suits, show me how to dance like this.

[antitoxin]

Not upset with me...! How cruel. I haven't done anything to warrant your wickedness...!

[ with her words, he'll start pushing her forward into the center of the room by their more comedic duo of sunday and whitmore— they're still sort of arguing, but they say excuse me to move out the way just a little. they have to share this dancefloor.

"don't bump into them, whitmore!"
"i'm NOT!"

yep, they're still at it.

it's when the music starts playing, midori chuckles softly as he looks down at helena knowing she's much smaller than him, and so he leans forward as he reaches for one hand to hold into his, and the other rests behind her back gently. ]

Are you comfortable?

[ "look at them, whitmore! why can't you be so considerate!!!" ]

[decrypter]

I am, yes.

[he's probably having to bend a bit to meet her, but that's okay - they'll manage. listening to the couple over the music, her voice drops a little so they can't hear it, but he can.]

Are we giving them advice by example, or are we actually going to intervene?

[demonstrating care is one thing, conversation another, but she can't deny she's actually somewhat excited to figure out how to dance like this.]

[antitoxin]

[ he follows suit, allowing his own voice to lower as he leans forward to whisper in helena's ear. ]

Lead by example, as long as you have someone there to show you then you can rely on them.

[ he leans away, lifting a hand to push back a few strands of her hair, and his hand returns behind to her back. ]

If you're ready, then you can decide which direction we move first.

[ left, right, up, down... it's whatever she says, and he'll work accordingly. there is an audible gasp from the couple by them, probably curious themselves on how this'll go. ]

[decrypter]

[thankfully this song is slower, so if she gives directions, they can come without needing to be fast. back and forth is one thing, but to the sides...]

Just...where one usually would start. Down, up, up?

[she had been listening to the directions, after all. they can go half speed, if they need to. and their display means the couple next to them is distracted from fighting - the important part.]

[antitoxin]

[ down means taking a few steps back, and between steps to push the wheel of her chair forward twice so that she can feel herself moving along with the meat of the music. he's diligent in his efforts, making sure that there's no awkward movement or bumping because he knows he has to be mindful of her legs and feet. how much time it took to put them back into perfect shape with nary a scar. ]

Just like that! I'm glad to see your upper body seems to be doing well.

[ conversation is key, understanding one another will call for an improvement. so the two by them question their own logic, and voice their opinions if they're okay to keep going... well, that is a start. ]

[decrypter]

Yes, and I've no doubt that the rest will catch up soon enough.

[it's a new type of dancing, but it delights her all the same, the motion and the act. her legs she knows will rebuild themselves with time and work, a dedication she will give them until they are strong again, and then stronger still. she'll run and leap and dance all she wants, when she's able. and for that, she's grateful to him for his hard work making it possible again.

she can hear the murmurs of the pair near them, the different tone - they're trying to be kinder, it seems. maybe they can do this after all.]

[antitoxin]

Isn't it wonderful what a person can do?

[ her battle with a bear that has crippled her legs, but she manages to dance just like anyone else? as long as she can enjoy, imagine, and take part... it's like she always had them. her legs will improve in time, but it's not as if she got to miss her chance. ]

Even in this situation, you managed to lighten the hearts of those near us.

[ his voice low so only she can hear it as he dances with her, following the rhythm she gave him moments ago, and keeps them both together so he doesn't seem too far away. ]