It had been hard to fault Iida for switching the roles. Momo had explained to Kairi after class, that Mineta was originally drawn to play the part of the Lord. However, when Iida saw that was what he had drawn for his part, he didn't feel comfortable with Mineta being the one to play a newlywed character. Gratefully, Kairi mentally thanked Iida for his foresight and was comforted in knowing pairing her and Shoto together was no trick anyone had intentionally come up with – it was meant to keep Mineta from finding an excuse to do his... usual thing. Still, everyone was already satisfied with their roles, and Kairi was afraid that asking someone to switch would rouse suspicion. In addition, it might also make Shoto wonder why she was so offended at playing his wife. Giving in to her defeat, Kairi accepted. Tsu and Yuga tried to assure her that it could work in their favor – given how close the two were, their relationship could add to the realism. Plus, she at least felt comfortable around him, for the most part. It was hard to say if she could find it in her to stay in character with anyone else.
So of course, she needed to surrender to her acceptance when they met again and began to form the finer details of their story. Iida suggested they turn the desks into a circle around the room for better communication with each other.
"Do those who are just part of the serving staff really need to be here?" said Bakugo, glaring impatiently at Iida and Momo.
"It's vital you are," Iida answered, adjusting his glasses on his nose. "If you are going to be involved with helping with the clues and having conversations with our guests, it's vital you are aware of everyone's personalities and their whereabouts." The kid rolled his eyes and reclined back in his seat, already growing bored.
"And I agree that with each scenario change, the only person who should know who did it should be the killer. That makes it exciting for us too," Momo said, moving her pencil across her notepad.
"Where are we going to be fitted for our wardrobe?" Yuga asked. "Do you plan to make all our costumes?" Momo wrinkled her mouth in doubt.
"I might be able to make some elements but there's twenty-one students in our class and they each have different measurements. Trying to reference the style you need for your costumes, plus the measurements, plus the number... that's quite a lot for me to make. And some of you would have several pieces if we're sticking with a more vintage style of clothing. If you can find something in your own closets or parents' that work, or could even rent pieces, that would help things out as well."
"We also need to discuss the script as well," Iida reminded, tapping his pencil against the front of the desk.
"I thought it was going to be more like improv," Ashido said.
"There will be elements, such as when you are communicating with our guests and reacting to different things," said Iida. "There will be a lot of that, for certain. But there still should be something of a script for the beginning of our drama and some stuff for the end and the middle. You don't have to memorize things word for word, but you should at least know what you are going to say. You will need to know your alibis for each scenario, but I figure we could use some notes for everyone's benefit!" Kairi begin to sink, as each new addition added another weight to how heavy this was going to be. Her pulse quickened as she grew overwhelmed with each new detail.
"Most importantly, we should get to know our characters," Momo said. "So we should come up with backgrounds and personalities for them. Of course, I don't think I see much of an issue with everyone adding something into their character's background. As long as it meets approval."
"Oooh! Could my character have seen some terrible things in war but was able to work past it all simply by the magical cure of the lovely nurses who helped in along the way?" Mineta popped up saying. "And now he is medically in need of women to help tend to him to keep away the darkness inside of him?"
"That's offensive in so many ways, I don't even know how to unpack that!" Kairi jumped up from her seat, blurting her words with deadly eyes staring him down. He whimpered and melted down into his seat. The class remained quiet, content with what she had said.
"Which is exactly why we are going to tell you no," Iida sighed.
"I think we're just going to come up with a character description for you to follow," Momo said, writing more down in front of her. "What are some motives we could have?" As if they had planned it, several students automatically looked to Kairi. The surprise attention in unison shrunk her, and her body tugged at her to vanish down the hall and disappear from their expectant gaze. She curled her fingers inwards.
"Um, I guess I have no idea what you want me to say..." she said slowly, awkwardly shifting in her seat.
"Your dad's a detective, right?" Kaminari said. "You must know something about murder investigations."
"Yep but my dad doesn't always do homicides. I mean he has done them... but he's not a normal detective. Most detectives specialize in missing persons or homicide or white collar or narcotics... His track record and his quirk has given him special permission to take on cases in other departments. He mostly deals with fraud."
"But he's given special permission to take on other cases?" Tokoyami asked. Kairi nodded.
"If it's a difficult case or if something about it really bothers him. They don't usually allow police detectives to do that, but my dad is driven by compassion and his quirk is useful."
"But he has done homicides?" Mineta asked. Kairi sighed with annoyance and nodded.
"He's done three as far as I know," she said.
"What was the reasoning for those?" asked Jiro, a little more interested in the conversation now.
"I'm a detective's daughter, that doesn't mean he automatically tells me everything and it's not like he can tell me all the details because it's confidential. I only get vague details or details available to the public. Sometimes I get more information after it's been solved, but that's only on occasion. It's not like it makes me an expert either. Most of what I know comes from when he's screaming at the TV." She shrugged. When the room was met with silence, she leaned against her hand and blew at the strand of blue in her face. "Yes, I know what the top reasons are for murder. But I'm just saying don't come to me expecting me to be perfect in knowing everything about murderers just because my dad is a cop. The top reasons for murder are crimes of passion, money, and revenge. In that order." Iida and Momo simultaneously wrote down her response. "There are other reasons people do it, of course. We decided the victim was going to be the owner of the house and party host? He's a rich bastard, right? It's not uncommon for elite wealthy folk to mistreat their employees and cause them to be disgruntled. It's possible some of them may have seen no way out and decided to kill him." Momo slowed her writing and looked away from her desk. Her brow wrinkled with concern and her voice dropped to barely a whisper.
"Not... all of the elite and wealthy are... terrible." Guilt crushed Kairi. She winced.
"I said it's not uncommon, Momo," she quickly said. "Not that every one of them is terrible and I absolutely didn't mean your family at all."
"You are right of course..." she conceded, sounding brighter but a little depressed at her confession. "Some of them are rather terrible. My father cut ties with a couple of them for a reason. I suppose it could make sense for some of these people to have grudges with him."
"If he's a tycoon, he could have made a lot of enemies!" Uraraka suggested.
"There are many reasons why someone like him could have ruined others' lives," Izuku said. "I suppose that could make any of them want him dead." As the room buzzed with excitement again, more ideas were thrown out and Kairi mentally vanished within the nose of everything. Momo and Iida worked diligently to take down everyone's ideas and discuss the best solutions and scenarios for everyone. Kairi clasped her hands together and watched the discussion much like a ping pong tournament. With each moment, their project continued to grow and it felt bigger. She sunk into regret, wondering if she had made a mistake in deciding to take a step outside of her comfort zone and agreeing to be a player. And of course, she ended up in a part where she would need to act opposite someone. Of all people, it had to be Shoto. Certain the gods of fate were laughing at her, she streaked her fingers through her hair and tucked in her chin, hiding her gaze from the rest of the vibrant class. Sick insecurity stretched her through and of course Shoto, who had been sitting beside her the whole time, caught onto how she was feeling. Her emotions brought the electric atmosphere down, but they still bounced ideas off of each other and were consistent in the movement of discussion.
"Is this making you uncomfortable?" Shoto asked lowly. Kairi mumbled something, but it sounded rather negative. "You don't have to do it."
"But then someone else who wanted to be a staff member would take my place," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
"Is it the character?" he asked. "Maybe they could change it to something else."
"That's going to bring us back to the beginning, and besides my character is tied to yours. It would not only be changing one character's story, but two. I couldn't do that to you and I couldn't stress the class out more with that. Besides, they already seem so excited and I don't want to disrupt that." He breathed heavily.
"Our characters are tied together quite a bit. Is there anything I can do to make this a little more comfortable for you?" Kairi shrugged. He scowled, staring at the top of his desk with deep thought. "What is it you're worried about?"
"I don't act, for one. I mean I have, when I had to when I was a kid in the stupid plays they force you to participate in. I have no idea how I will do. Making a fool out of myself and flubbing everything by going out of character. Having to wear a ridiculous dress and make myself up like a friggin' doll. Having strangers talk to me. My emotions disrupting everything." Not to mention, having to play your wife is going to send me into overload with all of these complicated feelings!
"Then why did you agree to act in it?" She shrugged.
"I thought my dad might be amused in it. I wanted to feel like I could contribute. I wanted to help... support the class, I guess? I wanted to dip my toes into something else, I wanted to try reaching beyond my comfort zone? I'm starting to think it was a mistake though and I am going to ruin the whole culture project." Shoto then raised his hand, drawing the attention of Iida and Momo.
"Yes, Todoroki?"
"I would like to suggest a change to the Lord and Lady characters, with Kairi's permission," he began.
"What are you doing?" Kairi hissed, leaning over to quickly pull his hand down. Her face burned the minute her fingers touched his wrist.
"And what would that be?" asked Iida.
"They're newlyweds, right? I imagine they're so enamored with each other, they're only interested in each other. They want to keep some distance from the others and have little care for interacting with the guests." As he continued to speak, Kairi dropped into her seat, exchanging looks with Momo who appeared just as shocked as she. "They've attended the party only out of obligation and don't really care and only want to pay attention to each other. Perhaps they're even a bit judgmental."
"Uhh..." was all Kairi could say. She looked over and up at Shoto, questioning what his logic was and why his suggestion had to send her chest through all floors of the school.
"Hmm... that could put a spin on things," Iida said. "Kairi? How do you feel about this?"
"Uhh..." she said again, and angrily asked Shoto with her eyes.
"This way you have a reason to stay a little more in the background and avoid the guests' questions," he replied out of the corner of her mouth. The torrent in her was spiraling with fury and embarrassment, but then gratitude fell into the mix. Her body shook with a strange contracting ripple, terrified of this new development and its implications. But her center also fluttered ecstatically at his consideration for her and his finding a way around it. Glowing with a hint of rage, she reluctantly nodded before attempting to disappear again.
"I suppose that ties up the bulk of the characters and stories," Momo said. "Perhaps we should move onto the menu. Sato, you already offered to do the desserts, correct?" He nodded proudly.
"I can cook!" Kairi blurted, manipulated by her own mess of emotions trying to untangle themselves. Her hand clapped against her mouth. "That is I mean... I have a little bit of experience, cooking supper when my dad had late nights and trying to find ways to improve them. I could maybe... try to make some?" It would help distract her from everything else and help give her some focus. Cooking was soothing and a little therapeutic. Cooking mass quantities would take a while and might just be the thing she needed to sort her mind through it. If she completely destroyed this project because of something she did in character, at least she could still feel like she contributed a little with her food. Momo smiled warmly and began to write more information down, just as the suggestions for the food began to pour again. Drawing herself away from the talks and feeling she had spoken enough for the day, she stuck herself to her chair and tapped her fingers against her legs.
"Thank you..." she whispered out of the side of her mouth to Shoto. "But I am concerned my dad might make fun of me."
"Because you're going to pretend to be all smitten?" Yes. Pretend. Kairi gnawed at her lip, unsure of how to answer that. "I'm not going to take you into a corner and snog your face off, if you're concerned about that." While the comment itself flung Kairi's gut around, she also snickered loudly at his phrasing. The comment was slightly out of his character, and the undisturbed tonal shift in his speech amused her. He shook his head, confused about what was so funny, but smiled with her.
"I didn't expect that..." she said, and pressed her hands together, tightly. Nervous fingers tangled together. Heat crawled up her cheeks. "But maybe some... you know... l-light touching of some kind would help the... illusion. Being in character and what not."
"Only as much as you're comfortable with." That consideration again. It always pulled at her soul and left her suspended in a warm, infectious heat she was addicted to. Sitting in her own flitting for a minute and letting her heart dance in the comfort of his words, she tasted her own careful response before speaking.
"N-not too much," she slowly said. "But I think holding hands or an arm around the waist... none of that is that far from stuff you already do, I think just be a little more... romantic about it? Not that I'm one to speak, but just you know... basing on movies."
"Yeah," Shoto said briskly. Her chest halted. Kairi hadn't remembered much affections between her own parents either but she had seen a little. Shoto had seen... none. He had nothing to base it on. Just what he saw in movies and TV as well.
"Same goes for you though," Kairi added without a second thought. "Nothing you're not comfortable with either."
"I think I can manage those things, at least," he said. He looked down, to sit her fingers still nervously twirling around each other. He reached over and placed a hand on one of them, wrapping his soothing warmth around her. She felt her cheekbones blossom again and looked away from the handsome smile that was sitting on his lips once more. Instead, she looking over at Momo, who was continuing to watch them with shock. She looked over at Yuga who was around to erupt from all the pride beaming from his face. Tsu saw them, of course, but she was trying her hardest to avoid them and not draw attention to them.
This culture project was going to be a lot bigger adventure than any of them had realized.
Happy 2020, all :)