well... it’s august 1st. time really does fly, huh.

i could mention all of the things i had in mind, all that i wanted to do... but things don’t really go as planned. not even in roleplay, really. still, i do feel some regrets— particularly, having lost some time over focusing on reactions to my portrayal and... not pushing myself to write more.

when i came back last year, i just wanted to have one last experience before i started grad school (even if i wasn’t sure i would be accepted). i was shadowing and studying for the admissions test during summer. a year and almost 3 months later, my MS1 year is staring right at me. ( yes, i’m counting the months i was on hiatus because biochem was kicking my butt. sue me. ) this... is officially it.

i don’t want to focus on the negative aspects; i gave those people too much of my energy. energy that... they didn’t particularly deserve. though, i’m grateful for what i learned from them— i really shouldn’t pay any mind to people who would believe anything that’s being said about me, who won’t respect me, and/or use me for their own personal gain. i don’t consider myself a great person, but i deserve some respect. even though there’s some stuff i’m still unlearning ( ex: seeking approval of my interpretation ), just the fact i can recognize that is a small victory, for me.

i’ve met great people here. i may not be as sociable as is expected, but i do appreciate the support of every single one of you. it’s this that makes it kind of... hard to leave. i wish it wasn’t over so soon, because there’s still so much i want to do with everyone. nonetheless... i’m thankful that some of you liked my portrayal of c.hiaki. now... that i say this, in the end, i just wanted for her to be seen as i saw her — kind, supportive, and a liiittle bit goofy. despite everything ( cough, d.espair arc, cough ), i think... most of us can agree she’s warm-hearted, somehow. if i was able to achieve that, it would be enough.

i wish you all the best in all your endeavors. i hope this situation is alleviated soon, too. it’s not easy... and sometimes, it gets tiring having to be resilient all the time. take care of yourselves. this... may be my farewell to the rpc, but i am willing to share my discord— if you need me to cheer you on, i’ll be here.

once again, thank you all for everything. may you all have a shining future!

warm regards,

Sonia raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in interest as Chiaki opened the file on her computer. She had no doubt that her friend, with all of her experience in the world, would instruct her in something new. But as the Princess looked closer, she couldn’t help but chuckle. Sophie certainly was wise, if not an old soul at heart. It was something Sonia adored and appreciated in her friend and, in turn, made her feel that she wasn’t so alone in her love of classic works of art of all forms. But in contrast, Chiaki was certainly up-to-date with everything in popular culture, or so Sonia believed. And this was clearly her jab at the Hatter.

“Sophie must have found that vexing!” Sonia beamed, though she had a feeling their friend didn’t remain upset for long. It was hard to with Chiaki: even as she joked, she always meant well. She waited for the other girl to open the correct slide from the vast assortment. How many lessons had Sophie needed in popular culture? Probably as many as Sonia herself required, if the snickers from Class 77-B when she said something wrong was any indication. “Hmm…hip-hop culture? I’m not aware of what is ‘hip-hop.’ Chiaki, where does that come from? Is it some sort of group with a following? Ooh, or maybe even a cult?”

Classical, rock, and pop music were prevalent in Novoselic, but even if Sonia knew that hip-hop was a music genre, she’d never heard it before. Sliding off the bed, she smoothed down her skirt and blouse before sitting in the spare chair beside Chiaki. “Did you have to teach Sophie what 'hip-hop’ is as well? I would like to understand what this concept is before I can relate it to our class. Or if it can still apply to an item branded with a specific logo pertinent to a fictional title. But I’d very much like to learn, regardless! Then I might be able to start incorporating all these terms in conversation with our friends.”

     a chuckle escaped her lips at the memory of her first meme masterclass. had the ultimate hatmaker gotten any more annoyed, boss music would have certainly started playing ( and meredith, her trusty karaoke companion, would have become an enemy. the horror! ). fortunately, hatter-san’s confusion over why she resembled a green pepper in that instance saved her some time and HP. thoughts of mehmehs aside -- that infamous catlike smile crossed her face, cheeks puffing up. “she did... but i think she appreciated it. i couldn’t do anything about her pronunciation of ‘memes’, though...” sighing, her expression transitions into a pout. “mmm... i wonder if i should make a pocket encyclopedia of modern pop culture for her.”

     “a cult?” eyebrows furrowed at the idea. honestly... chiaki knew little of that genre, mostly favoring game themes and pop music. and her scarce knowledge stemmed from k-hip hop; how could she explain it accurately? how could she explain it appropriately? fingers drum once more against the surface of her desk, each digit hitting the table at the rhythm of her thoughts-- quick, unorganized. !!! eureka! minimizing the window, the ultimate gamer opened google’s search engine in order to look for a credible source. hip-hop... fixing her glasses, eyes narrowed as they scrutinized link by link... hm, this one seemed good enough.