(mingle/open) happy new years!

[forethinking]

Who: Void Citizens
What: New Years Mingle!
Where: Heavenly Blanc
When: January 1st
Content Warnings: None!!

HEAVENLY BLANC

THE VOID, ON JANUARY 1ST

Ren
Food & Organization

Blue
Food & Organization

Eevee
Moral Support

Pidgeot&Arcanine
Lifting

YOSHIZAWA
Food & Organization

We hereby start the Void Calendar! All over the Void since yesterday, several handwritten notes have been taped or stapled to the Void's most populated areas in the hopes to drive the people to the popular bar/cafe. Heavenly Blanc's exterior has been protected from any upcoming storms by a large awning, and more tables and chairs have been temporarily set to settle any issues of overcrowding on the inside. Upon entering, one will be able greeted by the aroma of curry, although the spices vary from pot to pot, and coffee and alcohol will be served throughout the evening.

Within the interior of the bar, a small space has been divided and cleared out -- next to the jukebox. There, one will find a few microphones resting on their stands, waiting for whoever is brave enough to sing on them to whatever is playing in Heavenly Blanc when the storm hits. Last, but not least, a whiteboard has been visibly placed next to the entrance. It reads: "Names of the Months", and you may either write your own or add sticks to vote on your favorites.

CODING BY

Comments

[obsessiveness]

[ zhongli does have an air of a gentleman who's seen and gone through a lot, so izumi will take his word on that. izumi doesn't have a lot of friends due to his attitude, but one look at arashi and leo whooping it up at the other side of the room is enough to keep him going most days.

if only they don't drive him up the wall most of the time.

as to the offer of tea: ]

Ah, yes, thank you. [ ... ] You don't drink, Zhongli-san?

[pragmatism]

[ Taking a teacup from where he has stacked a few of them, he pours out three-quarters of a cup for Izumi. The tea looks and smells like tea, so if one would excuse the fact that it's blue, it would look exactly like how tea is supposed to look. ]

I only drink with friends. Most of the young people here do not look to be of drinking age.

[ So he's having tea, like what he usually does. Is he indirectly calling out all the teenagers? Maybe he is. ]

[obsessiveness]

You're not calling them out?

[ come on zhongli, you have authority here. maybe. he looks into the strangely colored tea, wondering if it's even safe to drink for him. it smells nice, at least - compared to the icky scent of alcohol, that is. ]

[pragmatism]

Even if I did, they would not listen to me.

[ Saying something like 'you're not my dad' or assorted rebukes that are characteristic of the young. He's been through this countless times. ]

If they do desire a respite, they would come to me. As did you.

[obsessiveness]

[ he can't help but chuckle. ]

You're really getting your work cut out for you, huh, Zhongli-san.

[ doesn't he know it. he brings the cup of tea to his face, giving it a whiff before taking a sip. it tastes like tea, at least, with a nice flavor to it. ]

I guess I should join the festivities since I'm still the same age as them. But my job back home would look down on me chugging down alcohol, so I just stay away from that. Besides, I bet a couple of them would want me to drive them home after this.

[ izumi sena, designated driver ]

[pragmatism]

Your job back home? What would that be?

[ 'Driving' isn't exactly a term Zhongli is familiar with, given that advanced technology is absent from most of Teyvat. It must be an otherworld thing. Izumi being so young yet having a job... it's not uncommon back home, but it seems to sort of imply that the other children remain blissfully unemployed. It piques Zhongli's interest a little. ]

[obsessiveness]

[ he's 18 so he should be old enough... but given how he's in the industry since he was in elementary he's more than experienced. ]

I'm an idol. [ ...oh he should elaborate since zhongli might not know, otherworlder that he is. ] Basically a performer who sings and dances onstage. There's an entire culture around it back home that can be stifling at times, so I have to be on my best behavior at times. Like avoiding alcohol.

But then there's those two.

[ arashi's there just whooping it up and... well leo isn't drinking so izumi should be proud but he's just going to point him out anyway out of reflex ]

[pragmatism]

[ An idol... Zhongli has only heard it once, and that was from Alice in a passing conversation. ]

I see. Will they face any repercussions for that if they did this back home?

[ Of course, the boys can go as wild as they like in the void. Izumi choosing not to is proof of his personality and self-control. ]

[obsessiveness]

You'll be faced with harsh repercussions when you're drinking at that age either way. But idols are supposed to be the beacon of purity, so once word gets out that they're fooling around like that... well, we'll see if they can get work after the backlash.

[ so long as they don't manifest the toxic entertainment industry here, they should be fine for the most part. ]

It's fine. Someone's got to watch those guys before they break anything in this place, and it may as well be me.

[pragmatism]

The beacon of purity?

[ Zhongli sounds curious. Artists and performers in Liyue do keep their private lives despite how popular they may be on stage. They're just ordinary people, like their listeners are. And to enforce such a strict standard on the young... his expression turns into a frown. ]

Why would that be required for your work?

[obsessiveness]

[ oh boy. ]

We'd be here all night if I talk about that, but essentially -- we want to be available for our fans. When rumors of an idol begin to circulate that they're dating someone, for example, they'll be hounded for it and be forced to apologize to their fans and... well, who knows if they'll see the stage ever again.

[ he says all this matter-of-factly, like he's seen it before. ]

Like I said, it's suuuper complicated. Especially if you don't have something like that in your world. And even then it might be different in every country you go to.

[pragmatism]

[ Zhongli closes his eyes for a good few moments, then opens them again. ]

That is quite unnecessary.

[ Selling one's image and life out for a group of people whom one will never see... it boggles the mind. Zhongli fails to understand what value can be gained out of such a contract. ]

Such strict rules should not be applied to the young.

[ Restriction breeds rebellion, which breeds grief. Even if this is just... some sort of super complicated artisan business, apparently... Zhongli knows from experience that it's never sustainable for the long term. His 'long term' meaning centuries. ]

[obsessiveness]

[ izumi just... blinks at zhongli's reaction. on one hand, the idol industry is pretty rotten in its core, especially when one has to explain it to the uninitiated. but like - ]

I mean, yeah, it's pretty brutal. The industry would eat the inexperienced alive and some of them might never recover from it. But I'm not one of those people. I worked my ass off to get to where I am today and even if I got stranded here, I won't give in to whatever the hell they're doing over there.

[ except the part where he's going to join leo's temporary group later on but SHHH ]

And that is why I'm not drinking with them, Zhongli-san.

[pragmatism]

[ If he had been younger, he might have felt obliged to intervene... but this is hardly his world nor his culture. All that happens elsewhere is not under his jurisdiction. It would be out of line for him to try to change another world.

But while they're here... ]

I see.

[ He folds his arms. There's not much else to say about this, is there? ]

If you require the presence of adult supervision for your friends, I would not mind helping.