video; @The Seventh Crown of the Seventh Demon King;

[unrequite]

[ In media res: there's a video feed sharpening into focus, blobs of silver and pink and purple neon resolving into a staircase leading down to a metal door gleaming clean under the artificial lighting around it. Midnight's standing at the door, looking up at the camera and the person filming with his phone, grinning one of his worryingly unhinged grins. ]

How is it, Kaveh? I'd ask you for my best angle, if I had any bad angles.

[ This conversation does... persist... but as the video continues, it becomes perfectly clear that this terribly disorganized promotion is for a bar of some sort. Midnight makes it clear later when he reclaims the camera, hops onto the bar, and aligns himself in the frame in a way that lights both his face and the sign behind him, a rose-lit confection announcing the name of the bar: Seventh Hell Host Club. ]

That's where we are. Do you see that? My name is Midnight, and this is my host club, Seventh Hell. We're near the southernmost station on Line 1. Kaveh and I have been working terribly hard on this establishment, and all of you have his genius and design sense to thank for this momentous occasion. Please do thank him personally. Make a great fuss about it. Remind him that sleep is a temporary state that he should indulge in more often, preferably with me. Thank you.

[ Kaveh is definitely taking the phone at this point, but later on, Midnight will retrieve it and add a postscript. He is sitting in some sort of underground greenhouse this time, surrounded by mist, glass, flowers, and the glow of sun-tinted halogen lights. Regardless of the promo quality, the greenhouse itself is certainly an impressive feat of engineering. ]

Yes, this is one of several themed rooms here at Seventh Hell. You — yes, you — are personally invited to see it. When? Well, whenever you like, so long as the doors are open, but on the 31st of this month... Ahem.

[ He clears his throat, grins. ]

For the turn of the year, you are cordially invited to Seventh Hell's Grand Opening and New Year's Eve joint celebration. Or something like that, I'll come up with a grander name if necessary. There will be drinks, music, a tour of the premises, games, untold bliss, fantasies, beautiful women, beautiful men, myself among them, possibly fireworks if Kaveh can be convinced that I won't set the place ablaze... You won't want to miss out, I promise.

The doors will open at 6 pm, but come by anytime before then, from now until the New Year, if you'd like to enjoy the premises in relative solitude. Send a message to this account if you'd like to be assured of a bartender, or a friendly face to speak to. If I can't come personally, a host or hostess will be there, ready to welcome you to a night of merriment and pleasant conversation.

So, until then... Seventh Hell awaits you.

[ A wink, and the feed shuts off. ]

[ ooc: Along with normal network replies, current host club employees and staff are welcome and encouraged to reply to this post as though Midnight's included them in an impromptu promotion for the club! You can also use this post for post-promo, off camera conversations with him or anyone else in the host club. Go stupid, go wild, go crazy, threadjack, steal his phone and flush it down a toilet. Honestly, the sky is the limit. ]

Comments

[unrequite]

Oh, I just like other people to know I'm very impressive. No need to explain yourself.

[ Midnight laughs, continuing to wipe his cups and stack them away. He is somehow both completely self-aware and the most oblivious man alive. ]

37, my darling. I left the escorting industry around a year and a half ago. Almost two years now... My, how my life has changed.

[ ... :o) please don't do the math on that one with your big math brain junpei ]

[coolerjunpei]

You set up a whole business...

[Mumble mumble, he didn't need to share it, Junpei is already impressed. Not that he's going to say that, he can only imply it with his muttering. Ahem.

Anyway, he's not doing the unfortunate math, because--] I thought maybe you were super old but just don't look it. You never know around here.

[unrequite]

Mm. Invested well too.

[ He wasn't kidding about having a head for numbers...

Midnight inclines his head in acknowledgment. ]

My kind do tend to have long lifespans... But speaking as a host, most burn out around four or five years in. My longevity in the business was a bit of an outlier.

[coolerjunpei]

Oh. So one day, huh. [old man...] Were you really that into it, or was it like, well, nothing else to do, so here goes?

[Or is that an egregiously personal question, hold on. He winces down into the cup he's washing, like, nice one.]

Uh, you don't have to answer that.

[unrequite]

Mm, well... I grew to like it quite a bit. It was rather difficult at first, but I found that I enjoyed the idea that people would leave me happier than they'd arrived. That they had someone to listen to them, and that I could tell them that I'd had a wonderful time meeting them as well, and that that in itself would help them get through to the next day.

[ Midnight laughs. ]

Of course, the money was good, and having that sort of stability, especially during the war... Well, those certainly played their part. But I had options at the 5 year mark, and even before I began. I just liked this one the best.

[coolerjunpei]

["Isn't that therapy," Junpei thinks, and doesn't ask, because he feels like he'll be wrong immediately after he thinks it. He hums, instead, acknowledging.]

Well, uh... I'm glad it worked out. You know, besides the—war thing.

[cough. swerve away from war--]

This'll be my second job ever. Well, technically third. Second legal job...?

[unrequite]

[ Good, because Midnight would basically be like... these two industries are the same, except you don't need to be certified or well educated to do one. Speaking of which— ]

Was your degree in math, then? I'm sure that string of kidnappings affected your career trajectory somewhat, but it's not a bad field to start in.

[ Midnight will certainly talk about the war if asked, but he likes talking about Junpei, too. His taste in topics is very flexible! ]

[coolerjunpei]

No. Well, kind of. Economics, more or less. I got up pretty far in discrete stuff, though. You know, like tautology—proofs, logic...

[And then he got kidnapped, yes, but he was going through the motions without ambition before that anyway. He'd rather not ruin this dishwashing experience with that, though, since he's actually enjoying Cups n' Conversations.]

Being an under-the-table detective sucked, though, so if this gig's better than stocking supermarket shelves, you'll be the best boss I've ever had.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight hums, motioning silently for Junpei to begin on the champagne flutes. Even half an education is something to be grateful for, really... Even if it appears he's yet to find his passion. ]

Well, I do like to think I'd want to keep this club the sort of place people would want to return to, staff included... Let me know whether I'm failing at that venture, mm?

Tautology... detective work. Someone with your mind would be rather wasted elbows deep in suds, here. Would you like to try hosting, perhaps? There's room for another bartender here too, if you like.

[coolerjunpei]

[Flutes it is... He likes this menial work? He would not call it hugely interesting, but keeping busy is keeping busy.

That said: he snorts, giving Midnight a look. Haha??]

Not like I was really a detective. And I thought you wanted people to keep coming back? I'm not fancy host charming, or anything.

[It was either this or the bit about his mind that was going to get self-deprecated on, even odds. Just the one, though.]

I know how to mix some drinks.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight laughs. ]

There's a type for everyone, my darling. A host without charm is as impossible as a person without charm.

[ That's a fair assessment of his confidence, though, and he does seem more interested in bartending. Midnight looks over, reaching for the first washed flute. ]

How confident would you be for... An hour on duty, let's say. Would you want to shadow me first?

[coolerjunpei]

I dunno about that...

[The charm thing, specifically, because he's thinking over the bartending thing with more earnestness. One flute passed over and he picks up the next one, gesturing with it like he might just flip it, like one flips stuff during bartending tricks?

He doesn't, though. He absolutely just wiggles it for the... practice of it and then decides he would shatter it and sets about washing it, so,] As long as I don't have to do tricks, sure.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight shakes his head, chuckles, but continues to arrange the champagne flutes on the their shelf. Just because Junpei has his doubts doesn't mean it's not true. ]

If having an acrobatic repertoire was a requirement for the position, I would have to sack myself here and now. Don't fret. I'll let you handle the drinks you can, and while we aren't working, we'll practice that which you have yet to learn. I'll ask Mr. Reno if he's willing to share what he knows as well.

[coolerjunpei]

[Maybe if he could do cool bartending tricks he'd be more charming.]

Well now it sounds like more than an hour. [ha-- no, he's still in,] Does he know how to do the tricks?

[unrequite]

[ Once he enjoys the cool bartending tricks, that's when he will be charming. Fine distinctions. Midnight will teach him that. ]

Only do as much as you like, my darling. I haven't any means of paying you for your work, after all.

[ As for Reno... ueh? Midnight shrugs, wiping his hands down and grabbing a fresh towel. ]

Haven't any idea. I hired him on Netzach's recommendation, and his skillset seems varied enough. Never met the man, though. It's very exciting. I love a new face.

[coolerjunpei]

[Junpei shrugs, holding out the next flute.]

I only kind of got paid for the detective stuff, mostly in handfuls of sweaty cash.

[So this is probably an improvement, actually.]

Don't think I know him either, but Netzach seems pretty reliable, so... You should ask him about the tricks first thing.

[unrequite]

No such thing as clean money, darling... But I understand the picture.

[ Phew, looks like they're almost done with the glassware. Midnight takes a break to gather some drink mixing implements, shakers and juicers and the like, and set them at Junpei's elbow. ]

I will, then. Netzach will be around as well, if you'd like to meet him. I don't know what your image of him is, but I think he could use a few more friends.

[ ... Junpei could also use a few more friends, but it's not as though Midnight's lying, either. ]

[coolerjunpei]

[Junpei shrugs and mumbles something about he also meant literally sweaty, before hover-handing over this new selection of things to clean before picking one of the shakers first.]

Who— Netzach? Nah, we met a while ago. He told me I should chill out and quit it with the conspiracy stuff.

[Wry, he says this, like his overt Problem with Obsession is a funny quirk. But he's absolutely aware it's not great of him, hence: he's here washing cups and sundry, now. He listened to the advice. Mostly.]

[unrequite]

[ ... Midnight raises his eyebrows. It's not the advice he'd give... But then again, he is cursed with a very deep love of people being who they are. ]

Bit difficult for you to keep your mind off of it, considering where we are, but I see his point. Do you think it would help?

[coolerjunpei]

Uh, wait, am I not doing it right now? I haven't talked about simulation theory this whole time.

[Is he chilling out wrong... He didn't even really get how to chill when he was still a normal person who'd never been kidnapped, but that was the opposite extreme.]

[unrequite]

Oh, you're doing well. I was just hesitant to assume that you were aware of it yourself.

[ Midnight grins. ]

Let me rephrase that, then: Do you think it's helping?

[coolerjunpei]

Uh. Let me think.

[He Thinks. Credit him this: he's putting in the effort to self-reflect.]

I don't know. It's not as bad as sitting in my apartment for weeks, sure. I'll let you know about the long term once I get there.

[unrequite]

Mmm. Far be it for me to judge, but I dislike the idea of you isolating yourself anywhere for that long.

[ ... A bit of a pointed look. ]

How often would you like to come to work per week?

[ Read: How many days of the week is Midnight allowed to keep Junpei accountable for this commitment? ]

[coolerjunpei]

Is this like, anti-house arrest...? Community service, but it's for me?

[That's also therapy, but he doesn't think of that yet. He passes over this wet shaker.]

Not every day. I've gotta be honest, I'm not really used to people giving a shit what I do with my time, so... You pick.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight accepts the shaker, wipes it, and stacks it neatly in a low shelf on the counter. It seems like he already has a plan for every accoutrement they have available... He's rather orderly, when it comes down to it. ]

Well, given that you've just expressed your isolation in terms of weeks... I would like to remind you that you are welcome and valued regardless of how much time you spend here, but let's say that I'd like to see your face at least once a week. I want to work up from there, but that's my expectation of you. Can you stick with that?