INTERVIEW THREAD: RIN AOYAMA! or "The Red-Faced Romantic."

He was used to pictures, as they weren't really a big deal since most of the time all anyone ever caught him doing was walking or working somewhere. It was her question though that caused the heat to return to his face.

Perhaps something like this should have been on the list of untouchable topics but...his concern of his sister's safety and such had caused him to momentarily forget such questions could be asked.

"Ah, w-well..." He'd tried to keep his calm exposure, but obviously he was failing; it being replaced by a slightly flustered one. "W-well yes, we're romantically involved."

She didn't smirk or laugh. Just smiled pleasantly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be prying.. I'm curious though. Have her duties as a shinigami been a hurdle for the two of you, or have her duties as Lieutenant of the Human World squad helped bridge the gap?" Feel-good things like this that helped people smile at their neighbor usually went well.

"Furthermore, what impact do you think this relationship will have on your writing? Can we expect to see a book released soon about a ghost warrior?" She paused, before immediately firing off another question. They were coming to her too quickly to hold in.

"And for that matter, have you ever considered making a book specifically marketed to spirit world readers? I think a tragic love tale of a shinigami and an arrancar might move some units." She said with a dramatic, almost romantic tone, something she was sad would be lost on paper when she published this. She decided to give him a moment to breathe and answer.

"Well, since she's in charge of this city we're able to see each other often." He answered, having taken a breath to help himself speak more clearly after that moment of being flustered. "As for my writing, I try not to let my own life or experiences influence it."

Whether it was people he met or things he'd experienced himself he kept an eye on himself, he wasn't one to allow his work be influenced so easily by things. Sometimes certain things sparked ideas, but they were just ideas; different from the whatever had ignited them and sometimes weren't ever incorporated.

"Well, I've never personally met any arrancar; only normal hollows." He continued. "I'm afraid I'd rather not think about such a work without knowing more about what I'm writing on. I'd hate to write something and then be completely wrong with my information." He smiled, "I'm still rather...fresh to all of this, it's been only recently I learned what I even was; a few years late to the party I suppose."

He'd joked, but it'd been honest in a sense. Only around nine years experience with all of this and only having received any answers about it recently. There was still a lot for him to learn about this mysterious world of spiritually aware humans, shinigami, and arrancar he was apart of.

She nodded along, calmly letting him finish, taking notes here and there. "Prudent words from a young, but knowledgeable author. I'm glad that things are working well for you and the lieutenant." She said, resisting the urge to make a joke about the whip.

DAMN YOU, mention the whip! Meiko cried.

Please. You want to see a man flustered, 'sister'?

"If things continue to go well, could we be talking wedding bells?" She asked simply, as if she hadn't just stabbed him in the back.

Had he been drinking anything, he would have certainly choked on it at the sudden question as it had caught the man quite off guard. "W-W- I..ah..." He stuttered, unable to keep himself from doing so as the heat made it's encore. "W-We...Wedding bells!?"

She could have easily let him off the hook. Buuuut. No. "Mhm. I mean, the two of you sound serious. Surely marriage must be an option at this point, correct?" Oh yes. This felt good. This felt right. And she was teasing that poor Aoi girl Meiko had made friends with indirectly. At least, she thought she was teasing. It occurred to her she might be putting the idea in the girl's head. Poor poor Mr. Aoyama.

It'd...It'd hardly been a month yet and while he could predict teasing on his sister's end of things this was certainly not a question he'd thought would come up in an interview! He needed to form words. He needed to to stop himself from looking like an absolute fool in public.

That was easier said than done though, as the poor man struggled to come up with a response. Sure, they were serious but-but it'd hardly been a month since this all started!

She gave a curious "hm?" And leaned forward, moving her hair out of her face. "M..Mr. Aoyama?" She asked, a concerned expression on her face. She tilted her head a little to the side. "Mr. Aoyama? Are you all right? I only asked if you were planning to make a legitimate woman out of Ms. Murohana." It was a simple question after all.

She was concerned now. He needed to speak. He needed to find a response and assure the woman interviewing him he was alright and not currently dying in the middle of a cafe.

"It's...It's hardly even been a month...yet." He muttered out, the only sentence he'd managed to form in order to respond.

She leaned back in her chair, as if this was news to her. "Oh, I'm so very sorry!" She said, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "That must have been terribly awkward. My apologies." She said before looking at him, with a sly little grin, as if he were in on an inside joke. She placed her notepad down before putting the tablet in the bag. She leaned forward on the table. "Okay... Off the record though... The way you reacted just now... You have already thought about this with this girl, haven't you?" She raised a suspicious eyebrow, but smiled.

Even if this was off the record, it was still a question he could hardly believe he was being asked. He reacted that way because it'd been a shock! Sure when they'd done chores together that night, he'd thought Ruka would be teasing him about how they were acting in such a manner but...but that didn't count? Right?

"N-Not...Not directly." He answered, his face feeling like it was on fire at this point. "It...It was something I figured my sister would tease us over b-but that doesn't count." His last few words had come out rather quickly, as if trying to defend himself on the statement.

It'd only been nearly a month now, it was way too early for those thoughts to be seriously crossing his mind. Hardly a month. Hardly a month...

She placed her palms together, resting her chin on them. "But, why would your sister be teasing you about marriage SPECIFICALLY? And what do you mean directly?" She asked, a little smirk on her face. She knew when someone was trying to avoid a question. It was basically mandatory in her line of work.

"We'd just finished eating and decided the split...split the chores that night is all." Rin answered, "I was doing laundry." She was more than just a guest at his house now and in a sense felt like she belonged there but...but he couldn't bring himself to say that! He'd said it to Aoi, that was what mattered...

Clearing his throat, he continued. "I just figured if my sister..where to see us doing chores like that, she'd claim we were acting like a married couple. That's it. It was just...just a thought of something my sister would tease us with."

She gave a little 'psssh' noise. "Well that's .. normal. And here I was hoping for some really scrumptious gossip." She said with a sigh before picking up the notepad and tablet. Of course that would have all been on the record, but nothing particularly exciting had come of it. Oh well~

"Well then Mr. Aoyama. It seems like I only have a few questions left... And those are actually questions sent to me from my readers." She pulled out some notes and cleared her throat. "So let's see.... Oh. Here we go. When do you plan on releasing the latest title in your (blahblahblah) series?"

[OOC: +5 despair points to me for not thinking of book names. yeha and gomen.]


"Ah, well that one specifically should be going through the editor at the time being. An exact release date is still to be determined. I've been dabbling in new ideas but the most that's come out of it are a few remarks here and there and some scenic sketches. Nothing big or of any importance yet. I've just been writing down unconnected things while I work, so I can remember if they show importance if something comes to me later on."

He worked constantly, always writing and sketching...he'd been told he should take it easy once in awhile though not too often to raise worry. Writing wasn't just a job to him, he did it because he liked it so while others may think he's overworking himself at times it was really just the opposite.

"Ah. A nice, articulate answer. I suppose that when it comes to his area of expertise, Mr. Aoyama is MOST confident." She gave a friendly giggle before looking down and reading in a blank tone of voice. "And this one is from a ... Squad 6? Huh. It says... Do you like... the clothes... we send her in?" She looked up, innocent as can be. "Huh. What does that mean?"

The...clothes?

Aoi had mentioned other members of her division helping her out with her clothing choices sometimes during her visits...half the time he almost felt they were personally out to ruin him by doing so...

"They're...quite different, but not bad." Rin answered, despite Alison's...confusion(?) of the question.

"I see.." She jotted that down. She looked up. "Well! She tucked her notepad away. "It looks like... that is... all of the questions I have!" She said with a cheery grin. "Thank you SO much for your time Mr. Aoyama." She slipped her tablet into her purse. "Are there any other questions you had? Anything you want to discuss? Can I get you anything else from the cafe?" She asked, not in a hurry to leave, but not of a mind to hang around pointlessly.

"It was no problem, it was a pleasure." Rin replied, giving a friendly smile. "Even if I did freak out on you a little."

Other than the embarrassing questions about his relationship and the whole marriage thing it had been a pretty good interview, nothing too out of the norm.

"It's fine, you don't need to do that." He added in response to her offer of ordering more from the cafe. "As for if there's anything I'd like to discuss; I can't really think of anything specific, I apologize."

"Oh please. I've had people attack me when I pried too deep before." She said before reaching out to shake his hand. "You were a PERFECT gentleman, Mr. Aoyama. Ms. Murohana is quite lucky for you." She said with a polite giggle.

And I suppose I approve of him enough..

Is THAT why you wanted to come? And in what sense is your approval necessary? You met her like a week ago!

"Well! Enjoy the rest of your day, Mr. Aoyama. The article should be coming out in a few weeks. I'll be sure an issue of the magazine is delivered to you, with spare copies to give to whoever you would like. Have a nice day!" She gathered up her things and gave a little half bow before heading away across the way she'd came.